Back to Normal, I Guess
by LumiOlivier
Summary: (Part 2 of 3) After her summer in New York, Lana goes back to her school in London with her heavy heart full of the memories she made at Ouran Academy. But little does she know, the Ouran Host Club will always be there to welcome her back, no matter what time zone she's in. (Reader fic) (Part 1: Kiss, Kiss. Part 3: Our New Normal)
1. The Empty Feeling

**A/N: There we go. That wasn't too bad, was it? Hiatus wasn't too hard on you, right? I mean, it was the same week off we usually do in between these updates. But, if you're new here, hi! Welcome, welcome! My name is Lumi and I'm your new best pal. At least I hope so. If you're not familiar with the way I run my Ouran fic, it's a reader fic with our dear friend Lana here. Lana? Care to chime in?**

 **Hi, guys! I missed you, too! And uh, if you don't know how I came to be other than the obvious wink, wink, cuddle, cuddle, kind of way, go back and read Kiss, Kiss. If you don't, you're going to be really lost. I got nothing else. Lumi? What about you?**

 **I don't really have much else to say. Other than the fact that, again, if you're new here, I should probably give you the predisposition triggers. There aren't any in this chapter, but because our dear, sweet Lana has some psychological problems, she's had some…unhealthy ways of managing in the past. And this fic was initially designed to be a hug for those of us who have had the same problems rolling around in our noggin. Because the first one was so well received and I had an OVERWHELMING response to write a sequel, here we are. This isn't just your weekly hug. It's my place to vent, too. Writing about mental illness is a little touchy because you all know the last thing I want to do is make you go somewhere dark (also, all of it stems from a place of personal experience. Just a side note.). *still feels guilty about a chapter she posted back in August (returning fans know what one I'm talking about)* I'll make sure there's a warning at the beginning of any chapter of anything that'll screw you up. If I ever forget something, LOVE OF GOD, LET ME KNOW. By the way, there is a teeny trigger in this chapter. Self harm mentions and scar mentions. But anyway, I'm going to get to the actual story now, if that's alright with you. And I love you all. I did miss the hell out of you, too. *hugs* I'll see you at the end, ok? (And by the way, there's a something, something in the beginning. If you find it, don't say anything, but PM me to redeem your virtual high five.)**

Well, I couldn't say my summer was too horrible. A whole summer with my sister and a week alone with my boyfriend before he had to go back to Japan? I couldn't complain. Other than the brief hiccup of dealing with my parents for a two-week stint after he left, but I had Rhiannon to keep me grounded. And with my last night in New York, I only wanted one thing.

A quiet night in. Just me, Rhiannon, and her giant, ginger labradoodle Maka. He was a good boy, though. Every night, we had developed a routine. Once I got comfortable on the pull-out couch and Rhi went to bed, Maka would jump onto my bed, curl up at my feet, and lay his head on my legs. I was going to miss him when I leave for London.

"Do you have to go back tomorrow?" Rhiannon pouted while the Sound of Music filled the background with Maria's favorite things, "I don't want you to."

"Yeah," I wrapped up in my blanket, "I don't want to either."

"How am I going to explain that to Maka?" she pointed out as the gentle giant cuddled with me, "He's going to be crushed, sitting at the door, staring it down, wondering when you'll come back."

"Sorry, Maka," I rubbed his belly, "Auntie Lana's going back to London at five o'clock tomorrow morning. I'll miss you, too, buddy."

"I swear," Rhiannon teased, "You're going to miss my dog more than me."

"Of course I am," I scratched Maka's head, "Look at his face. It's too cute for words."

"I have to give you that," she agreed, "Maka's kind of a doll. You should see his Christmas sweater."

"Rhiannon," I shook my head at her, "He is his Christmas sweater. You don't need to dress him."

"It's only for the Christmas card," she promised, "And when it's brutally cold outside and he has to go out to poo."

"Don't worry, Maka," I promised, "Before I leave, I'll burn your Christmas sweater."

"I'll just knit him another one!" Rhiannon sang as her dog gave my face the licking of a lifetime.

Leaving was really going to suck. But I had school Monday morning. And I needed to get used to living on London time again. Four different time zones. I've lived in four different time zones. Iowa time. New York time. London time. Tokyo time. The bounce between going to Waterloo to see my parents and Williamsburg to see Rhiannon wasn't too difficult to manage. That's only an hour difference. But from Williamsburg to London? That was five hours. That was practically night and day for me.

Unfortunately, Rhiannon wasn't at the airport to see me off. I thought I'd let her sleep. I gave Maka one last pet before I left and headed to JFK for my seven-hour flight to Heathrow. I've gotten so used to flying that my anxiety managed to hold off for me. Bless. I've had panic attacks on flights before. I didn't want to do that again. Although, the Xanax did its job. Speaking of things doing their job, I knew I had one stop I absolutely had to make before I went anywhere else.

"Hello," the receptionist greeted me, "Can I help you?"

"My name is Lana Smith," I said, "I'm here to see Dr. Moreno."

"Of course," she looked through her date book, "You don't have an appointment?"

"She doesn't need one," Dr. Moreno came out, "Hello, Lana. I was just about to go home."

"I'm sorry," I apologized, "I've been through a million time changes today and I just got off my flight."

"It's fine, dear," she allowed, "My office, then?"

"Yeah," I followed my doctor into her familiar office that I've logged many an hour in.

"So, Lana," Dr. Moreno looked me over, "How are you? You look awfully well, given you just landed."

"I am," I confirmed, biting my tongue, "I mean, for what it's worth, I guess."

"And how was your summer?" she asked, studying me closely, looking for any sort of changes in my movements.

"Better than what I expected," I glanced down at my wrists where the big, beautiful sakura blossoms bloomed out of my old cutting scars, "I've been ok."

"That's right," Dr. Moreno chimed, "Didn't you say you were visiting your sister?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "What about it?"

"Well?" she smiled, "Aren't you going to show me? This is just general curiosity at this point. Rhiannon is a tattoo artist, is she not?"

"Ok," I still had that phantom anxiety about showing my forearms. Even though the brilliant pinks and greens masked my scars enough, it was the thought that counts, right? Slowly, but surely, I pushed my cardigan sleeves up, struggling and shaking with every inch.

"It's alright, Lana," Dr. Moreno settled me, "If you still don't want to show me, that's fine, too."

"No," I pushed myself, "I can show you. It'd be a shame if I didn't."

"Alright," she watched in anticipation.

"My boyfriend designed it," I exposed the view of the Ouran courtyard, "He made sure that every flower covered enough. It wasn't uncommon for him to draw on me when I was still living in Japan. Anytime he'd stay over, I'd wake up with something on my arms just so I wouldn't have to wake up to my scars. The first time he drew on me was when I had my close call. I called him at two in the morning crying. And he was there."

"And what did he draw on you?" Dr. Moreno wondered.

"Lotus blossoms," I thought back to that night. And my boyfriend's words echoed in my brain. How the red reflected the blue. The passion reflected the wisdom and the wisdom reflected the passion.

"This is truly remarkable, Lana," she traced over it, "Rhiannon did a beautiful job. And your boyfriend is quite the talented artist."

"Yeah, he is," I smiled, "Rhiannon wants him to come work with her this coming summer and teach him how to use a tattoo gun, but that involves going all the way from Tokyo to New York."

"Do you miss him?" she asked, "Your boyfriend."

"Of course," I felt a sudden emptiness in my chest. I hadn't seen him in a couple months and I missed the hell out of him, "I'll call him before I go to bed, though, so we should be ok."

"And what about now?" Dr. Moreno threw her notes down, "Do you plan on reacquainting yourself with the city?"

"It's no Tokyo," I sighed out, "But there is one place I need to go."

"I think we're done for the day then," she decided, "I really am proud of the progress you've made, Lana. Maybe you should consider going back to Tokyo."

"Ouran tuition isn't exactly cheap," I cringed, remembering that letter from admissions that still haunted my dreams, "I don't have that kind of money and I don't think I could apply for another scholarship."

"There are other schools in the area you could consider," she pointed out, "Tokyo is good for you."

Even worse than the admissions letter was Beni-bara's offer burning in my soul. She told me she could've gotten me another year in Tokyo. That would've been just enough to get me to graduation. But leaving my boys like that? I couldn't do it. I didn't have the heart for it. I needed them and in a way, they needed me. I couldn't…

"I know," I shrugged, "But I don't think I'd be a good fit anywhere else. I've made a home at Ouran and there's no place like home."

"I understand," Dr. Moreno showed me out, "It's always lovely to see you, Lana. Now, that place you were talking about. The one you need to go to before you go home. Go there. Doctor's orders."

"I will," I waved my doctor off and started toward the first bus I found. There was a little pub down the road from the dorms that I had talked about when he and I were in Karuizawa for the weekend. And if I was going to emotionally eat, there was nothing I wanted more than the best braised lamb in all of London.

"Oi!" the bartender yelled at me as I sat at the bar, "Aren't you a little young to be in here?"

"There aren't any tables," I defended, realizing this place was more packed than usual.

"Alright," he let me go, "What'll you have?"

"Braised lamb please," I ordered, keeping my head down, "And if you could put it in a takeaway container, that'd be great."

"Sure," he gave me a quick nod and headed into the back. Granted, it wasn't going to be as good as his, but I still needed some braised lamb in my stomach. Airplane food never agreed with me and I hadn't eaten much.

I grabbed my food off the counter and headed back to the dorms. Hopefully, I could sneak in, get up to my room, stuff my face, and call it a night in peace. However, because I can't be allowed nice things, the head bitch herself was sitting in the common room with the TV remote in her hand, thumbing through the channels. It's alright, Lana. Just keep your head down. Don't make eye contact. Eye contact was how she got your soul. You'll be fine.

"Lana!" Victoria chimed venomously, "Welcome back!"

Dammit, "Hi, Victoria."

"Where were you?" she asked, "You were gone all last term. Where were you?"

"Um…" I stared down at my feet, "Me?"

"Yeah, you," Victoria cranked my head back, "Come back brain dead, did we?"

"I was in Japan," I quivered, really wanting to go to my room now.

Ring, ring.

"Who's that?" she snarled, ready to tear me to ribbons.

I glanced down at my phone screen and let out a heavy sigh of relief, "It's my sister. I really need to take this."

"She's breaking up our conversation," Victoria pouted, "Doesn't she know that's incredibly rude of her?"

I escaped Victoria's grasp and bolted to my room, throwing my lamb on my bed, "Hey, Rhi. You couldn't have called at a better time."

"Hey," she sounded nervous, "You make it to London ok?"

"Yeah," I started tearing into my food. One bite and I was home, "I'm fine. I just left Dr. Moreno's office and grabbed some dinner. I'm good."

"What are we eating this evening?" Rhiannon asked.

"Braised lamb," I murmured through a mouthful, "And it's fantastic."

"Is that the braised lamb you bragged up from the bar?" she assumed.

"The very same," I moaned, "Although, there's this boy in Tokyo that does it better."

"Really?" Rhiannon gasped, "Your Japanese boyfriend makes better traditional English comfort food than your bar?"

"And his American girlfriend makes killer Chinese," I reminded her, "What about it?"

"Just saying it's weird," she brushed me off, "So, you're sure everything's ok?"

"Positive."

"Flight was good?"

"Yes."

"Your melon's on kilter?"

"Yes," I lied, not wanting her to worry. I could've used her dog at my feet right about now, but other than that.

"You need me send you anything?" she offered, "Care package? Brownies?"

"No," I sighed, "I'm tired, Rhi. I think I'm just going to go to bed."

"Alright," she let me go, "Just wanted to check in. Make sure you were ok."

"I'm fine."

"Good night, Lana!"

Click.

In all seriousness, I wasn't fine. I was empty. Depression was getting the best of me. And it only got worse when I ran out of lamb and my mashed potatoes were gone. I just felt weightless. Although, I knew exactly what it was. This wasn't a random spell. I missed my boys. I wouldn't have my host club waiting for me when I walk into school in the morning. I wasn't going to have the music room to ease my mind. All I had was my tattoos. The better scars commemorating my time spent at the Ouran Academy. I knew something that would make me feel better. It was seven o'clock in Tokyo right now. A certain someone needed an alarm clock.

"Hello?" a grumbly voice answered.

"Good morning, Kyoya," my heart melted. Damn, I wanted to go back to Japan.

"Good morning, Lana," he perked up a little more, "You ok?"

I felt a lump swell in the back of my throat. No. No, Lana. Don't you dare. Don't you dare start with that, "I miss you. I don't want to go to school tomorrow."

"I miss you, too," Kyoya promised, easing my aching heart, "The host club isn't going to be the same without you. It's bad enough we'll have to manage without Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai. I don't know how we'll do it."

"Will you come over?" I curled into my body pillow, wishing so desperately that it would turn into him.

"You're a little far from me, Lana," he pointed out, "It's not like when you were living in Tokyo and I could be there at the drop of a hat."

"Please…?"

The silence on the other end was killing me. And if I didn't know any better, I could hear a break in Kyoya's voice, "The first chance I get, ok? I'll come and see you."

"Ok," I swallowed back tears, "I'm going to go to bed. It's been a long day and I'm kind of tired."

"It's funny, isn't it?" Kyoya chuckled a bit, "You call me in the morning just to say good night."

"These time zones are going to be the death of us," I smiled, burying my face in my pillow, hoping that would muffle the light sobs I couldn't hold back anymore.

"We'll be fine," he promised, "Go to sleep, Lana. I'll call you after school and wake you up, ok?"

"Ok," I wiped my eyes, barely able to hold onto my phone anymore.

"I love you…"

Click.

Damn, I missed Japan...

 **A/N: And here we have the end of chapter one. This made my heart hurt a little bit. I miss Kyoya already, too. Don't worry, though. We'll get through this. It's just a minor setback. When she wakes up, Kyoya will be her body pillow and everything will be ok. Unfortunately, no. That's not what's going to happen. And I'm sorry for being a jerk and put it in your heads in the first place. Now, tomorrow, if you're interested, I'm going to be starting a Yuri On Ice fic and I'm so very, very excited. I've never written for Yuri On Ice before. Keep an eye on my profile. It's an AU, but it's going to be fluffy as hell. See you next chapter! xx**


	2. It's Getting Bad Again

**A/N: Hi, guys…Can I apologize in advance? I didn't mean to drop a chapter like this so early. And if you're new and you haven't read Kiss, Kiss, I'm extra sorry to you. But you see, child, *sits you on my lap* this is not always a nice story. It's not always a sweet, fluffy love story. At times, it's going to get dark. It's not going to be pretty. And I have to put trigger warnings in the beginning because the last thing I want is to make you hurt so bad that it induces bad flashbacks for you. I know I dropped this quote early in Kiss, Kiss, too, but Hemingway? You know who he is? Kind of a big writer. Known alcoholic? Anyway. He once said to write hard and honest about what hurts. So, here I am. Writing hard and honest about the things that hurt. Trigger warnings for this chapter will include: Self harm, suicide, depression, anxiety, slight eating disorder, and all around negativity. So, if you're easily affected by any of these things, go ahead and skip this chapter to the end and I'll do a recap for you in the ending A/N, ok? Is that a good compromise? Because I do love you even though I did some pretty evil torturing of a certain someone for the last few days. What? I can be a little wicked from time to time. Honestly, it's a great deal of fun. What can I say? Chaotic neutral. I'm going to shut up and let you read now, ok? Or not read. Entirely up to you.**

Joy. Just what I was dreading. The first day was always the hardest. Hard to believe that a year ago, I was starting at Ouran Academy. I'd walk into that abandoned music room and meet seven of the best friends I'd ever have. And I missed the hell out of all of them. Especially their vice president.

But I'd be ok. I think. Right?

In the meantime, I had to keep going. When I sat down at lunch, I had the worst craving for a nicely decorated bento box, but unfortunately, I couldn't get good Japanese food in London. However, I could still eat my feelings in fried food. What I really could've used was a hug, but more French fries than I knew what to do with would work, too.

Even though every time I'd put any food in my mouth, a chorus of giggles would chime at the table in front of me. And if that wasn't bad enough, they'd point me out to other people walking by. And the fact that I was on my fifth order. Fantastic. So, I stopped eating altogether. I didn't need any more anyway. Granted, I was still pretty hungry, but I'd be fine.

Tomorrow wouldn't be any better. Wake up. Be miserable. Go back to the dorm. Be miserable some more. Attempt to sleep. Repeat. And to make things even worse, the next morning, I slept through Kyoya's call. Just great. The hits keep on coming, don't they? I rolled over and looked at the clock on my nightstand.

Dammit! I was going to be late! I scrambled to get my uniform and headed to class. Only ten minutes late for my English lit class. Hopefully, with any amount of luck and a little bit of prayer, the teacher wouldn't notice and I'd be perfectly in the clear. Just sneak to my desk in the back and act like I had been there the whole time.

"Lana!" Victoria opened her big mouth, "You finally made it! Class started ten minutes ago. Where were you?"

"Miss, Vaughn, that's enough," the teacher stopped her as I took the empty desk in the back. I just had to oversleep this morning, didn't I? the one night I actually sleep since I get here and it makes me late. Congratulations, Lana. You're a screw up on legs. And everyone wouldn't stop staring…No. No. Lana, no. Don't spiral. Don't freak. Not here. Not now. You know the kind of hell Victoria would put you through. You're ok. You're ok. You're ok. Just make it to lunch and you'll be ok. Only another couple hours.

I went outside for lunch. I needed some fresh air anyway. Maybe I should call Kyoya. it's early enough in the day. It was only nine o'clock in Tokyo right now. No. I didn't want to make him deal with that. Kyoya didn't deserve that…and I didn't deserve him. It was times like these where I'd go to the music room to calm down, but Ouran was too far away and the only music room here had a class in it right now.

I really don't understand why those boys put up with me for so long. I was nothing but their burden. I'm sure they're still talking about me now, saying what they really feel now that I'm gone. That I was just annoying. Why couldn't they just save themselves the trouble, forget I ever came in, and realize I'm not the worry?

Ping!

A text? Who the hell…?

 _Good night, Lana. Love you._

 _KO_

Why…? Why do you love me? There are probably so many other girls that are better suited for you. I don't deserve you and you know it. You just won't tell me. But I didn't want him to know I was onto him. I had to pretend that everything was ok and nothing was out of the ordinary. So, I texted him back.

 _Love you, too._

 _LS_

Hopefully, that'd be enough to pacify him.

Ping!

Come on! Why can't you quit me?

 _You doing ok?_

 _KO_

Like he cared.

 _Fine._

 _LS_

Ping!

God! Go away! Save yourself!

 _Let me know if you need anything._

 _KO_

And right there was the nail in the coffin. All I wanted to do was go to the bathroom, cry for the rest of lunch, and soldier through the rest of my day. Was that too much to ask for? I grabbed my bag and started heading inside. But sure enough, because Lana's not allowed to have nice things, (pretty sad when my standards of nice things is crying in a bathroom stall) I got stopped in the doorway by one of the boys from my algebra class.

"Hi," he gave me a smile, "You're Lana, right?"

"Yeah," I tried to move past him, but that wasn't happening.

"I'm Sebastian," he introduced himself, "I think we have algebra together."

"We do," I just wanted to get to the bathroom, dude. I'm feeling my second panic attack of the day coming on in the pit of my stomach. Let me breathe it out in peace.

"Can I ask you something?"

"I really need to be going," I shot him down, but he still wasn't letting me go.

"But it's important," Sebastian begged me, "Please?"

"What?" No sense in fighting him. I didn't have the energy or any snappy comebacks.

"Do you think you and I could go out sometime?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," I finally pushed by him, fully aware of this song and dance routine already. And I didn't need a snappy comeback when it was true, "I have a boyfriend."

"Do you now?" Sebastian held back his laughter, "Where is he? Does he go to school here?"

"No," I kept walking, "I met him while I was in Japan last year. That's where he is. Now, please leave me alone."

"Ok." Huh. Easier than I expected. Sebastian turned around and walked the other way. And in three…two…one…

"Wow, Sebastian!" one of his idiot buddies laughed his ass off, "It's pretty sad when even Lana turns you down!"

"Yeah," another added, "She made up a fake boyfriend on the spot just to get you to leave."

Thought so.

I went into the bathroom and started bawling. Fortunately, I had been doing this long enough to know how to do it without anyone hearing. The one thing that I thought would make me feel better only made me worse. I looked down at my sakura blossoms on my wrist. I wasn't worth the time. From my sister. From Kyoya. They put so much work into this. But I knew better. I knew what was underneath. And they were itching like hell.

So, naturally…I started to scratch. And scratch. And scratch some more. Harder and harder. Faster and faster. Each sting more intense than the last. I could feel them. All of my little problems and insecurities bubbling up under my skin. I just needed to let them out somehow. Some sort of ventilation, so they wouldn't be inside me anymore.

And as soon as the blood came up to the surface, I was already regretting it. Dammit, Lana. You knew that wouldn't make you feel better. You knew you'd only get worse. Screw this. I'm going home. I wasn't going to be able to make it through the rest of the day. I'm sorry, Kyoya. I've let you down. I'm not the warrior you thought I was.

Maybe sleep. That's all this is. Sleep deprivation screwing with my head. Maybe if I just lay down for a while, I'll be ok. I'll fall into the vast, dark void of my mind and wake up ok. All I needed was a nap. And maybe a snack later. No. No snack. Tea. Just tea. I wouldn't be judged for that.

Ring, ring.

Mmm…

Ring, ring.

What time is it? And why do I feel like I got hit by a bus? I rolled over, fighting my aches from head to toe and checked the clock. Six o'clock. Was that AM…?

Ring, ring.

I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and slid my finger across the screen, "Hi, Kyoya."

"Hi," he sounded nervous. Understandable. Not every day my naps turn into eighteen hours of solid sleep. Or sakura blossoms have scabs on them, "I haven't heard much from you. Are you alright?"

I couldn't bring myself to tell Kyoya about my incident. The break in my streak and my skin. And I knew I was going to be even worse for lying to him. If anyone in this world would understand, it's him. If anyone in this world wasn't going to judge, it's him.

"Fine," I rubbed my eyes, "I'm ok."

"Is that Lana?" a familiar voice chimed in the background.

"Yes," Kyoya confirmed.

"Lana!" Tamaki squealed, "Let Daddy talk to his little girl!"

"Hey!" another pair of voices harmonized, "What about us, boss?"

"You guys," the voice of reason stopped the three of them, "Let Lana and Kyoya-senpai have some time alone."

"Thank you, Haruhi," Kyoya sent her off, "I miss you, Lana. We all do."

"I miss you, too," I swallowed the swelling lump in my throat.

"One day, ok?" he promised, "One day."

"I know," a couple tears escaped my eyes, "I have to go, Kyoya. I have to get ready for class."

"Ok," Kyoya let me go, "I love you, Lana. Don't forget that."

"I love you, too," my voice broke as I hung up. He tries. He tries so hard. And how do I repay him? Doing stupid crap like opening my scars again. Maybe one day, I'll get lucky and bleed out. Then, he doesn't have to even make the effort anymore.

I sat through class like a complete zombie, hardly paying attention. Weird, considering in English lit, we were discussing the Bronte sisters. It was usually my favorite lesson. But I sat in silence feeling completely empty. This wasn't right. I shouldn't be here. This isn't where I'm meant to be. When I was still going to school in Japan, I didn't zone out this bad in class. Yet, here I was.

When lunch finally rolled around, I found a spot nestled away from everyone else by one of the big oak trees that had probably been there since the school was built. And this place's ceremonial ribbon was cut by Queen Victoria herself. Granted, it was nothing like the Ouran gardens, but it would do in a pinch.

Bzz…

 _You ok?_

 _KO_

Kyoya Ootori, you're going to be the death of me.

 _Fine._

 _LS_

And on that note, the bell rang and I was off to my next class. For the rest of the day, I didn't hear a word from Kyoya. Weird. Maybe he finally wised up and gave up on me. That was the text I was waiting for. The, "Lana, we need to talk. I think we should see other people." text. Sure, it'd suck, but it'd be a big burden off his shoulders.

After school, I looked out onto the street. Maybe if I just stepped off the sidewalk, I could get lucky and a double decker bus would hit me. And hey…Look at that. One's coming. Well, if he wasn't willing to let go of the rope, I was about to yank it right out of his hands. The rope burn wasn't worth it. All it would take is one little step into the street.

"Lana-chan!"

I stopped dead in my tracks, still on the safety of the sidewalk and glanced over my shoulder, "Honey?"

"Lana-chan!" Honey jumped into my arms, "I missed you so much!"

"Hi, Honey," I squeezed him tight, "What are you doing here?"

"We wanted to visit you!" he smiled, making all of my little problems temporarily melt away, "Takashi was right here…"

"Oi! Lana!" Sebastian ran back over to me.

And here we go again, "What?"

"Here it is," he pointed out, "A Friday night and I have nothing to do. How would you like to be at the top of my to-do list?"

"Is he a friend of yours, Lana-chan?" Honey asked so naively.

"Get out of here, kid," Sebastian shoved him aside, "Maybe in a few years when you can understand big people, you can have her. But for now, I'm going to give my lady friend here a snog and a poke and call it a night, yeah?"

"What the hell?" I stopped him, helping the little one back on his feet, "Are you ok, Honey?"

"Fine, sweetheart," Sebastian winked at me, pulling me to his hip, "Now, what do you say? You? Me? Dinner?"

"I told you," I shoved him off me, "I have a boyfriend."

"That's right," he nodded, "The bloke in Japan you made up."

"Mitsukuni, are you ok?" Mori joined us, looking his cousin over.

"I'm ok, Takashi," Honey promised, sitting on Mori's shoulders, "Look! I found Lana-chan!"

"There you are, Lana," he threw an arm around me, "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Hi, Mori," I cuddled into his chest. He may not have said much, but damn, he had some impeccable timing, "See? I told you I had a boyfriend I met in Japan."

And given Mori's giant stature, he towered over Sebastian, giving him a patented death glare, "Was he bothering you?"

"Yes."

"Look, mate," Sebastian shook in his shoes, "I don't want any trouble. I didn't know she was yours. We good?"

"Yes, you did," I called his ass out, "I told you I had a boyfriend and you didn't believe me."

Not another word needed to be said, but if I didn't know any better, there was a puddle around that douchebag's ankles. And Mori got me away from him. As soon as we were a safe distance away from the school, I broke down in his arms and I started crying again. Only this time, they were tears of joy. I've never been so happy to be proven wrong.

"Lana-chan," Honey worried, "What's wrong?"

"Next time you two see Kyoya," I wiped my eyes, "Kiss him for me."

Because this had Kyoya written all over it.

 **A/N: See? This had a happy ending. And Honey and Mori are here! And Mori's going to be Kyoya's stand-in for when assholes are fake hitting on her. I know what that's like. Minus having Mori. But the getting fake hit on? That was a regular occurrence for me in high school. Now, the recap for those of you that had to skip because this chapter was a little too hard for you. Lana did a dumb and broke her streak by picking at one of her scars. She was feeling super guilty about it and was going through the self-loathing to the point where she was giving consideration to stepping in front of a bus, but fortunately, her life was saved by Mitsukuni Haninozuka calling for her. Also, Mori is Lana's temporary boyfriend while those two are in London. So, yay! We have hosts in London! Home away from home! Yaaaaay! *insert Kermit the Frog gif here* I'm sorry for doing such a heavy chapter this week, but next week, I promise it'll be a bright, sunshine-y chapter. It's Honey and Mori in London. They were Lana's backup hosts. Nothing could possibly go wrong.**

 **And another quick thingy I want to talk about is the fact that my Fridays have been occupied by an original I've been posting to FictionPress and if you could give it a look, that'd be nice. And there's always my NaNo project on Tumblr. That's getting updates on Sundays. So…Yeah. Shameless self promotion? Anyway, see you next chapter! xx**


	3. Confessions

One of my favorite cities in the world with two of my favorite people. With Honey and Mori by my side, only one thing came to mind to kill the afternoon. I knew of a cute little bakery down the way from my school and after what I had just gone through and while I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that Honey and Mori were here, I earned a cup of tea.

"Do they have cake here, too, Lana-chan?" Honey hoped with a sparkle in his eye.

"Of course they do, Honey," I held his hand.

"Hello," the woman behind the counter chirped, "How can I help you?"

"Three chocolate fairy cakes and a chai latte, please," I ordered.

"He's adorable," she gushed over Honey like most do when they first meet him.

"Thank you!" he beamed.

"Is he yours?" she asked, looking at both Mori and me.

"Is he our what?" I gave her a very thoroughly confused look.

"Your son."

If I had my tea, I'd either be choking on it or it'd be in her face, "No. He's older than me. And he's not my husband."

"I'm so sorry," the woman gave me our order, "Hard to believe he's older than you."

"It's true!" Honey squeaked.

"We get that a lot," I blushed. I couldn't believe she thought I was old enough to have a son. I always thought I perpetually looked twelve.

"Enjoy!"

The three of us left the unpleasantness of the bakery behind and headed to one of the most beautiful gardens in all of London. It reminded me quite a bit of the Ouran gardens. Big, beautiful roses, a sense of serenity, a pair of former hosts. And I had cake on top of that! I never would've guessed I was miserably depressed an hour ago to the point where the bus was looking rather tempting.

"Where do you live from here, Lana-chan?" Honey asked.

"I live in Westminster," I directed, "It's not too far from here. but I don't think they'd let you guys into the dorm."

"Why not…?"

"My dorm's not co-ed," I explained, "They definitely wouldn't let you into my room. Something about protecting my virtue and being decent or something like that."

"You know, Lana-chan," Honey climbed onto my lap, "We really miss you."

"I miss you, too," I held him a little tighter.

"Are you sure you won't come back?" he offered, "I'm sure we'd be able to take care of your tuition."

"I'm sure," I bit my tongue, "I'm ok."

Aside from considering suicide before they showed up and rehashing some old wounds and my rolling depression since I came back from New York. But other than that, I've been ok. I could feel Mori's eyes glance down and out of reflex, I pulled on my cardigan sleeves, making sure everything was covered.

"We still visit the host club once in a while," Honey told, "It seems so empty without you. Like there's something missing."

"I do miss the music room," I admitted, resting my head on Mori's shoulder, "I miss everyone in it."

"Hey!" Honey chimed, "Didn't you get a tattoo while you were in New York with Rhi-chan? And Kyo-chan designed it?"

"Yeah."

"Can I see it?" he asked so innocently.

I started to panic. Considering my stupidity. Come on, Lana. You're smart. You've been thinking up excuses for not showing your wrists for years. You got this, "I really shouldn't. It's still all scabbed over and healing. I could show you a picture, though."

"Ok!" Honey settled, scrolling through the pictures on my phone, "It looks like the Ouran courtyard from outside the host club!"

"That's exactly what it is." It's a good thing Honey's moods were so infectious. Because out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mori put two and two together. He knew better. He could see right through me. I had gotten my tattoo a week after graduation. It would've healed by now. And his hand went to mine.

As the day went by and night began to blanket over London, we went back to Honey and Mori's hotel room to put the little one to bed. I'm sure jetlag wasn't an easy thing for him to go through. Mori and I got him all tucked in and the two of us were left to our devices. I thought about getting up and leaving, but I knew better.

"Lana," Mori took my hand.

"What?"

"Are you ok?" he worried, "Honestly?"

"Fine," I lied through my teeth, "Why?"

"Those scabs on your tattoo," Mori figured it out, "They're not from your tattoo healing, are they?"

I swallowed the lump in the back of my throat. And I swallowed hard. But unfortunately, that wasn't enough. I buried my face in Mori's shoulder, "I did something really stupid."

"Come here," he wrapped his arms around me, "What did you do?"

"Broke a year and half streak," I shivered with tears soaking through Mori's shirt.

"Tell me," Mori's embrace tightened, "And be honest with me. How are you, Lana?"

"I haven't been good," I came clean, "I haven't been good since New York. I haven't been good since the flight from Tokyo. I was going right and my mental state took a hard left. I thought I was ok and I fought my ass off, but the other day, I caved. I lost the battle and I got the scars to prove it. And in a strange way, earlier today, Honey saved my life."

"What do you mean?" he wondered, "How did Mitsukuni save your life?"

"Let's just leave it at that," I brushed him off, "You guys couldn't have come at a better time. I needed a dose of my boys again. I haven't seen Kyoya in a few weeks and I've been trying to tough it out here. I really have. But my god, it's exhausting. I feel like I haven't slept in a month."

"You know we're always here for you, Lana," Mori promised, "Always. Especially since Mitsukuni and I don't have anything going on. We're taking this term off. Anytime you need us, we can be on the next flight here."

"Thank you, Mori," I cuddled into him. And it only made me miss my own even more. Speaking of, "Can I ask you a question? And you answer it honestly?"

"Sure," he shrugged, "You answered me."

"Did Kyoya send you and Honey?" I had a feeling I knew the answer already.

"Yeah," Mori came clean, "He worries about you."

"I think he kind of likes me," I giggled a bit, checking the clock, "Speaking of Kyoya, I need to call him and wake him up."

"You're one of the few people that can do that," he told me, handing me my phone, "Anyone else and he turns homicidal."

"No way," I rolled my eyes, "Kyoya's not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination, but I doubt he'd kill someone over it."

"The next time you talk to Tamaki," Mori suggested as I scrolled for Kyoya's number, "Ask him about the Shadow King."

"Good morning," the other end spoke.

"Konbanwa," I smiled, shutting Mori up.

"And how are you this lovely evening, Lana?" Kyoya asked, his voice radiating all the way to my toes.

"Well," I looked over at Honey still sleeping soundly, "I got a little present today."

"Really?" he started to wake up a little more, "Who's it from?"

"You," I curled into Mori a little more.

"Me?" Kyoya wondered, "I never sent you anything."

"Kyoya," I bit my lip, "I'm not in my dorm right now. I'm in Honey and Mori's hotel room. Honey's asleep and Mori's currently my pillow. It's been confirmed that you sent them."

"That present," he chimed, "I thought you'd like that. You know I know your tells, Lana. I have the same ones. You weren't good and I had to do something. I knew you'd kill me if I paid your Ouran tuition, so I figured sending Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai would've been the next logical step."

"Thank you," I melted, "I hate when you know my tells, but damn, it's a good thing you do some days."

"Are you ok?" Kyoya worried.

"I will be," I promised, stepping out onto the balcony, "I could really use Karuizawa right about now, but I'll be fine. I'll manage."

"I don't want you to just manage," he put his foot down, "I want you to promise me you'll be ok."

"Yeah," I felt the guilt in the pit of my stomach, "I'll be ok. I promise."

"And I want you to promise me you'll let me know if you get bad again."

"So, you can send Honey and Mori to check up on me again?" I teased.

"Precisely."

I shook my head at him, completely unable to keep a so desperately needed smile off my face, "I love you, Kyoya."

"I love you, too, Lana," Kyoya hummed, "Now, if it's all the same to you, I have some things to do today and I need to get out of bed."

"And I need to get back to my dorm," I agreed, "It's almost curfew and if I'm not back, it'll be a police escort I don't want to deal with."

"Go on, then," he allowed, "I'll call you in your morning."

"Ok," I really did miss the hell out of him.

"I love you."

"Love you, too."

I walked back inside and found Mori flipping through the channels on their TV, "Hey."

"I'm going home," I grabbed my bag, "I need to get some sleep."

"Want me walk you back?" Mori jumped up.

"I'll be fine," I settled him, pulling the blanket back over Honey and Usa-chan, giving him a quick kiss good night, "Don't leave him by himself."

"Ok," he let me go, "We'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Of course," I nodded. And with a turn on my heel, I headed back to my dorm room. I needed some time with my body pillow. If only it were actually Kyoya. On the host club's auction site, they did have some pillow cases that were…rather suggestive…but I wasn't that twisted. I'd be able to manage. As I laid in my bed, I stared at the view of the Ouran courtyard. Unable to fight sleep anymore, I shut my eyes, wishing with all my heart that when I woke up in the morning, it'd be real.

 **A/N: Look at me getting a chapter out on time! Yay! Personal accolades aside, hi! How are you wonderful people today? I feel like Mori cuddles make everything better. And even though Lana does have a boyfriend, he's not there. But Mori is. Yet another opportunity I have to turn this story into a love triangle with Lana, Mori, and Kyoya. But if you read Kiss, Kiss (which I really hope you have, considering this is its sequel), you know better. You know I'm not going to pit my boys against each other. Hell, Kyoya and Mori even said they weren't going to fight over Lana. She made her decision. Now, next week…How about a little teaser for next week? Next week's chapter…Let's see…Without spoilers…Next week's chapter is going to be a 'what if?' chapter. Let's just leave it at that. A little bit of a trippy feeling. See you next chapter! xx**


	4. What If?

**A/N: Hi, guys! So, I forgot to make a mention of this last week, but I got a guest review on Kiss, Kiss that is too damn sweet to not say anything. But in my defense, I wasn't in the best place mentally speaking last Tuesday, so no surprise that it slipped my mind. Anyway, said review read *puts on tiny reading glasses*:**

 ** _"Okay, I literally read this entire thing in less than twelve hours (which I only do if I really like a fanfic) and I honestly think this is my new favorite. You're such a good writer and an inspiration to have gone through what you did and be able to write about it for all to see. Stay strong, love."_**

 **And to whoever was the kind soul to leave that comment, thank you. You, my dear, sweet reader, couldn't have come along at a better time. Because that Sunday was not a good day for me. I had been doubting myself and I'm still doubting myself a lot lately, but I kind of snapped Sunday and things got really out of hand. Regardless, I'm going to let you all in on a little secret. Why I'm so ok with putting my experiences in this story. Because it's so easy to completely confess your innermost secrets to total strangers on the internet. Not many people know the things I've gone through because I'm so quiet about it. I don't want the pity face. I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about. Hell, Lana even made a mention of it in the early days of Kiss, Kiss. To this day, my parents still think my self-harming excuses weren't just excuses. I slipped on the gym floor. I had a mosquito bite. The dog scratched me. But all that aside, I think the guest reviewer hit the nail on the head of why I do this story in the first place other than for me to have a place to vent. I love you all and none of you deserve to go through any of this. Now, if it's alright with you, I'm going to quit my whining, get down from my soapbox, and start the story, ok? Good. I'll see you at the end and we'll talk some more.**

 _Oh, my dear. You poor, poor thing…You're completely under their spell, aren't you?_

 _They're just using you to satisfy their appetites…_

"Do you want to stay in Japan, my dear?" Beni-bara offered.

"Yes," I agreed. Anything was better than this. Ever since I touched down in London, I've only been depressed. I've only been miserable. When I was living in Japan, not once did I get low enough to even give dying a thought. Since I've been in London? Maybe six? I was tired of suffering. And I wanted to go home. And if it meant the Zuka club, so be it. Anywhere else but here.

"Are you accepting my offer?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Congratulations, Lana," Beni-bara grinned, "And welcome to the Zuka club."

Putting on a Lobelia uniform felt so strange. It may not have been an Ouran uniform, but at least I was back in Japan. Home sweet home. No pain in the ass Victoria. No double decker buses tempting fate. I was pretty sure I was going to be ok.

As my first day at St. Lobelia Academy came to a close, I went into the auditorium where a bunch of other girls were sitting around. It was almost like they were waiting for something. Or someone. A few faces I recognized from the first time Beni-bara came to the host club. I think these two were Zuka club officers.

"There she is," Beni-bara announced, catching a glimpse of me out of the corner of her eye, "There's our new member. Ladies, this is Lana. She's our rescue from those idiots at the Ouran Host Club. Welcome home, Lana."

"What's this all about?" I wondered, a little dumbfounded.

"I told you, maiden," Beni-bara draped her arm around me, lifting my face to force her gaze, "If you were to join the Zuka club, you would have a group of sisters to love you and care for you. This is the kind of thing you can expect from us on a regular basis. If there's anything you need, all you have to do is let me know, ok?"

"Um, ok…" I wasn't sure how to feel about all the attention. Even the host club wouldn't be showering me with this much affection. But then again, according to Beni-bara, all of it was just an act anyway. Maybe this is what an actual family felt like.

With each passing day, I grew closer and closer with the family's matriarch. There was nothing Beni-bara wouldn't do for me. And heaven forbid any of the other girls got even remotely close to me. Because Beni-bara would sic the Zuka club attack force on them. I couldn't say no, though. I owed everything to her. If it weren't for Beni-bara, I'd still be in London, horribly depressed and borderline suicidal. I guess I could be ok with this.

Before too long, Beni-bara and I finally went on a goodwill mission to the host club in hopes to rescue Haruhi. Being in the Zuka club could only get better with Haruhi in it. The two of us busted down the door to the music room and all of a sudden, a comforting wave of nostalgia crashed over me. I mean, my time with the Zuka club has been great. Don't get me wrong. Something about coming in here really and truly felt like home.

"Alright," Beni-bara called out, "Where is Haruhi?"

"We haven't seen Haruhi all day," Tamaki squeaked, "Alright, men. We shall lead a search party for our beloved Haruhi!"

"Right!" the twins agreed, ready to do whatever it takes to find the crown jewel of the host club.

"Before you do that," a warm, familiar voice made me melt, "I should probably tell you Haruhi is sick and didn't come to school today. She's probably at home right now."

"Well, then," Beni-bara scoffed, "This was pointless."

"Hello, Lana," Kyoya smiled at me, my heart skipping a beat.

"Hi," I could feel the heat rising in my face. And all I wanted to do was fall into my boyfriend's arms. He was this close. I might as well.

"Hold on, Lana," Beni-bara stopped me, "No, no. Remember our deal. Remember what I told you about the Zuka club and the host club. I brought you here and I can send you back."

"But Beni-bara," I begged, "He's…"

"You think he is," she pulled me closer, "He thinks he doesn't have a heart to break. Prove him wrong and shatter it to pieces."

"Lana," Kyoya put his hand to my cheek…only for me to brush it away, "Lana, what is it?"

"I'm sorry, Kyoya," I shook him off, "You can't lie to me anymore. I've seen through you. You don't love me. You only love the idea of me. And you don't have any power over me anymore."

"Lana," he tried to take my hand, but all it did was erode away…

And I woke up in a cold sweat. It wasn't real. It's not real. It's ok, Lana. Beni-bara's in Japan. She's not getting to you here. You didn't take her deal. Screw the Zuka club! You and Kyoya are still ok. But maybe…Maybe I just need to hear his voice. I need to hear him say it. I rolled over and looked at the clock. Two in the morning here is eleven in the morning there. I yanked my phone charger out of my phone and scrolled through my contacts.

"Lana?" Kyoya answered. Bless him, "What are you doing up? It's two o'clock in the morning in London right now. Are you alright?"

In those three words, my walls came crumbling down. All of them. Between my fragility from my dream and my wicked depression lately, I couldn't help myself. I needed to vent and who better to vent to than someone that understood.

"Are you by yourself?" I asked.

"I'm having lunch with my sister," Kyoya said, "But she's in the bathroom right now. What is it?"

"I…" I could hardly speak, "I need to come clean with you."

"What's wrong, Lana?" he picked up the shaking in my voice.

"I just woke up from a really weird dream," I rubbed my eyes, doing all I could to suppress the tears that were inevitable, "You love me, right?"

"Of course I do," Kyoya assured me, "You know I love you."

"I could've stayed in Japan, Kyoya," I confessed, "I should've stayed in Japan."

"You told me you didn't want us paying your tuition," he reminded, "What do you mean, you could've stayed in Japan?"

"Beni-bara told me she could've gotten me a scholarship with Lobelia," I told, "But I turned it down because she said that the only string was becoming a member of the Zuka club. And if I did that, I'd have to side with them over the host club. I couldn't do that, Kyoya. I couldn't. You guys mean way too much to me to leave you."

"I had a feeling that's what she wanted to talk to you about," Kyoya sighed out, "I knew your scholarship was going to run out sooner or later. I wasn't anticipating you being intercepted by Lobelia, though."

"But that's not all," I choked out, "I haven't been ok."

"Define not ok."

"Just that," I swallowed the swelling lump in my throat, "I broke a streak. I nearly stepped in front of a double decker bus. And I would have, too, if Honey didn't yell for me. I don't think he realized what I was about to do, but he's the one you have to thank."

"Lana," Kyoya wondered, "When was the last time you saw your doctor?"

"Maybe a couple weeks ago," I thought it over, "I know. I need to go back and I need to be telling her all of this."

"I'm not going to yell at you," he promised, "I'm not even going to shake my finger at you. Just remember, Lana. I'm still only a phone call away. We can video chat tonight if you want."

"Your tonight or my tonight?"

"My tonight," Kyoya said, "It's been a while since we had date night. Why not?"

"Ok," I smiled a little, "How about my noon, your nine? Is that good?"

"Fine with me," he agreed, "Are you sure you're going to be ok until then, Lana?"

"Positive," I nodded, "I got Honey and Mori here. I should be relatively ok. All I needed was to hear your voice again."

"In that case," Kyoya hummed, "I love you. I miss you. And I can't wait to see you again, Lana. I really can't. Go back to sleep, ok?"

"Ok," I curled up into my body pillow, "Love you."

"Love you, too."

Click.

I plugged my headphones into the jack on my phone and scrolled through my music. American Idiot, maybe? No. It'd be too depressing. It'd only make me miss Kyoya more. I knew something. Something perfect. I needed some Andrew McMahon in my life. When I was in the hospital for the first time, the girl in the room next to mine showed me Swim by Jack's Mannequin and how much of a hug it felt like for her. Ever since, his music had been a warm blanket on a cold winter's night. And I needed one song in particular that kind of reminded me of Kyoya. Hopefully one day, it would come to fruition.

 _Up around town with a headache kicking._

 _Guess I fell asleep with a cigarette._

 _My girl's back home with the morning sick._

 _Got a baby on the way, not here yet._

 _And I'm alright. I think I'm good._

 _Yeah, I drink more than the doctors say I should._

 _I've been a little hard to reach_

 _But my girl is at the beach and I'll see her on the weekend…_

When I woke up a few hours later with "See Her on the Weekend" still playing in my ear, I felt like I was sick, but I knew damn well what it was. I didn't get enough sleep and I should've gone back to sleep then and there, but I had made a date with Honey and Mori for breakfast and I wasn't going to go back on that. They were only here so long. I could sacrifice a little bit of sleep for that.

"Lana-chan," Honey looked me over, "Are you ok? You look exhausted."

"I am exhausted," I rested my head on the table with a severe need to mainline coffee through my bloodstream, "I had a rough night last night. Let's leave it at that."

"Maybe we should let you go back to sleep," he figured, "I'm sure we could navigate London on our own."

"No," I perked up as much as I could, "I'll be fine."

Would I? I'm sure I would. Eventually.

 **A/N: You guys…If Lana and Kyoya ever get married, I want Tamaki to play "See Her on the Weekend" at the wedding. Because the piano in it is so beautiful. I highly suggest going to listen to it. I have such a soft spot in my heart for Andrew McMahon. It's almost disgusting. But everything's ok for the time being. Next week is going to be date night mixed with a few other surprises. You can hang in there until next week, can't you? I'm sure you can. You have before and I have nothing but faith in you. See you next chapter! xx**


	5. Date Night

**A/N: To the nice guest that keeps leaving me nice things, my dear flower child. Of course it does. Everything any of you do makes my little heart go all pitter patter. THAT'S WHAT THIS FIC IS FOR. THIS IS YOUR WEEKLY HUG/INTERNET THERAPY SESSION. At some point, I kind of want to do a chapter where Lana's getting heavily engrossed in her favorite TV show and it's somewhere around season finale time and fandom pressures make her miserable, so Kyoya's got to be the one taking care of her! But all that aside, I'm pretty sure this chapter's going to be up late today, so here's the preemptive apology (If you want someone to point fingers at, blame my senpai. He keeps me distracted.). Now, I'm going to get to work, ok?**

I really have enjoyed this time I've had with Honey and Mori. Out of all of the boys of the host club, Kyoya couldn't have sent anyone better. As much as I loved them, though, I would've preferred if Kyoya would've sent himself instead. I'd kill to have him here…Dammit!

I grabbed my bag and jumped up from the bench Honey, Mori, and I had claimed at a petting zoo, "Sorry, boys. I have to go."

"Where are you going, Lana-chan?" Honey asked while his cousin shared in his concern.

"I got a date," my face lit up, "I'll see you guys later."

"Wait a minute," Honey stopped me, "A date? Does Kyo-chan know that?"

"Who else would I be going on a date with?" I giggled, "We had this planned last night."

"This early in the day?"

"It's nine o'clock at night in Tokyo right now," I kissed the top of Honey's head, "Don't wait up, boys. I have a feeling this could be a late night."

"But we can still stay here, right?" Honey looked up to Mori.

"Sure," Mori gave him a nod.

"Yay!" Honey latched onto my leg, "Bye, Lana-chan! Where should we meet up later?"

"Outside my dorm?" I shrugged, "Say, four?"

"Ok!" he sang.

And just like that, I sprinted back to my dorm. I had maybe an hour to get ready for it. And because this was a dinner date, I had to get something to eat, right? I needed something anyway. When I went and grabbed breakfast with Honey and Mori, I got tea and that's it. I was kind of hungry. Fortunately, I knew a good place on the corner. Although, it wasn't quite as good as Kyoya's, some braised lamb would've hit the spot.

I went down to the little pub on the corner and sat at the bar, waiting for the bartender to realize I was there. The one from last time wasn't my usual. He had to be a new guy. But this one? This one knew me. And I knew him. Out of everyone in London aside from Dr. Moreno, Elliot was the closest thing I had to a friend.

"Lana!" he chimed, "My favorite little American girl. Welcome back to London, sweet."

"Hi, Elliot," I smiled, "I think you know why I'm here."

"My pretty face, right?" Elliot called my order in to the back.

"You know better," I giggled a little.

"I know," he brushed me off, "Not just my pretty face. You want my lamb."

"Duh," I rolled my eyes, "However…"

"What?" Elliot got nervous, "What is it?"

"I found a braised lamb better than yours," I confessed, "And I found it in the weirdest place."

"What?!" he squeaked, "I thought you said there was no braised lamb better than mine! Who dares challenge me? Where did you find this better lamb and whose arse am I kicking?"

"Leave him alone," I settled him, "He's my boyfriend. And he lives in Japan."

"What?" Elliot gave me a look, "Some Japanese kid makes better braised lamb than I do?"

"Yeah," I blushed, "Only slightly, but it's really good."

"What's he use?"

"I don't know if I should tell you," I thought it over, "That's Kyoya's recipe. I can't divulge that kind of information."

"Come on, Lana," he begged, "Please?"

"I'll have him tell you," I allowed, "The first chance he gets, he said he'd come visit me. I'll be sure to bring him in here."

"You better," Elliot threatened, "Hold on, love. I'll be right back."

"Ok," I let him go. A quick check of the time made me a little nauseous. Ok. Half an hour to get ready. That's fine. I'll be fine. I'll be ok. I can do that, "Hurry up, Elliot! I have a thing!"

"Alright, alright!" he came back out with a takeaway box and slid it across the bar, "Go to your thing. And get me your boyfriend's braised lamb recipe."

"I have a date with him in a little while," I grabbed my lamb, "I don't think he has it written down."

"Damn!"

"Bye, Elliot!" I jumped down from my barstool and headed home. There was no way I could miss this call. I missed the boy on the other end too much. I ran into my room, shut my door, and stared into the abyss I called my closet. Do I even need to change? I did a quick onceover in the mirror. No. Why bother?

Although, I looked like I hadn't gotten sleep in a couple weeks. I had to do something about that. Lucky for me, I had a sister that was a tattoo artist by day and a makeup artist by night that had taught me just about every little trick in the book. Concealer, highlight, white eyeliner. I think I might have had some fake eyelashes, just in case. But I didn't have any glue! Dammit! Oh, well. I'll manage.

I did look kind of cute. Even though I was running on terrible sleep. Didn't look like it, though. And that's all that mattered. As long as I don't get spacy in our conversation, I'd be golden. I didn't want Kyoya to worry about me more than he already does. He doesn't need that kind of stress in his life. And I sure as hell don't want to be the cause of it.

Bleep, bloop.

I ran to my laptop and slid across on my computer chair, "Hi, Kyoya."

"Hey," Kyoya's eyes sparkled ever so subtly. Damn, it was good to see that look again, "Are you ok? You seem like you're out of breath."

"I am out of breath," I admitted, "I feel like I just ran a marathon."

"And why is that?"

"Because your punctuality is uncanny," I finally caught my breath.

"I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?" Kyoya asked.

"Just Honey and Mori," I took my fork out of my container, "But they understand, I'm sure. Besides, I promised them I'd meet up with them later. Mori has Honey at a petting zoo. They'll be fine."

"And what's in the box?"

"This?" I smirked, "Not as good as yours."

"Thought so," he figured.

"I was hungry, though," I shrugged, "And you're too far away. And I'm almost positive they wouldn't allow red wine in my dorm."

"Oh, Lana," Kyoya let out a heavy, almost depressed sigh as his hand went up to his screen, "I miss you."

"I miss you, too," my voice broke as my hand went up to his.

"Soon, ok?" he promised, "As soon as I can, I'll be-"

"Lana!" Victoria managed to kill the mood, pushing through my door, "What are you doing? Are you talking to the voices in your head?"

"Um," I immediately shut up, "No. I'm…I'm t-talking to my, my…"

"Spit it out!" she snapped. That is, until she got a glance over my shoulder, "Oh, hello…He's cute. You pretending he's real? That's so sad."

"I am real," Kyoya chimed in.

"And who are you?" Victoria pushed me out of the way.

"Lana," Kyoya ignored her, "Anata wa daijobu ni narimasu ka (Are you going to be ok?)?"

"Kanojo wa supa no meinudesu, (She's a super bitch)," I cringed, "Watashi wa hotondo kanojo no ue ni Beni-bara o torudarou (I'd almost take Beni-bara over her.)."

"Sore wa waruidesu ne (That bad, huh?)?" he understood.

"What the hell are you two saying?" Victoria started to get pissed, "I know you both speak English."

"If you'll excuse us," Kyoya stopped her, "I'd like to get back to speaking with my girlfriend now."

"Girlfriend?" she looked me over, then back to Kyoya, "Are you bloody insane?"

"Depends on who you talk to," he brushed her off, "But I do love this girl. More than anything. And I haven't seen her beautiful face in quite some time. Unfortunately, I'm six thousand miles away from her and this is the best of a bad situation. So, please. I'd like for us to be alone."

"Why do all the pretty ones have to be mental?" Victoria rolled her eyes, slamming the door on her way out.

"Thank you," I spoke meekly, "I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting her to come in."

"You don't need to apologize, Lana," Kyoya assured me, "It's not your fault. Like you said, you weren't expecting her to come in. Don't give her that kind of power over you."

"You mean control my own destiny?"

"In a way," he nodded, "You're ok. And you know you always have me to set you back on track whenever you feel yourself drifting."

"I know," I smiled a little.

"Look," Kyoya promised, "I'm going to try and shoot for December. Once we're on break, I'll be on the first flight to London, ok? I want you to stay in once piece until then. I don't want any more accidents. You need something, call me. You think you're going to fall apart, call me. You miss me, call me. Even if you think I can't stand you and I hate you with a fiery passion, call me. Because you know better than that, Lana. You know I never could. Now, if it's ok with you, I'm going to go to bed. It's almost midnight and I'm very tired."

"Ok," I allowed, suppressing the swelling lump in my throat.

"I love you," Kyoya kissed the screen, "Don't forget that."

"I love you, too," I melted, "Do you really have to go?"

"Unfortunately," he winced, "When would you like to do this again?"

"As soon as possible," I begged, "Tomorrow night?"

"I have something going on," Kyoya bit his lip, "I'm sorry. Let's just do this once a week. Next Saturday?"

"Good for me," I beamed, "Good night, Kyoya."

"Good night."

I watched the window close and Kyoya's face disappear from my screen. Damn, I missed him. At least I wasn't completely alone. I needed to get to Honey and Mori as soon as I could. Now, if I were Honey and Mori, where would I be?

 **A/N: I'm really sorry this is up super late. It's been a long, tumultuous day. I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. I'm also sorry for Lana's stutter coming back. We haven't seen that since Kiss Kiss chapter one. However, all in all, I do think this was kind of a cute chapter. Kyoya on the screen…I…I have no words. Before I gush all over the place, I'm going to quit while I'm ahead. See you next chapter! xx**


	6. Family Affair

I knew this day was going to come eventually. Didn't necessarily want it to, but there we still are. I'd have to stay strong. I knew the cake and chai tea had to run out eventually. I'd have to stay strong. I'd have to persevere. Even if it meant doing it without Honey and Mori. I didn't want to say goodbye…

"We'll miss you, Lana-chan," Honey attached himself to my leg, not wanting to let me go.

"I'll miss you, too, Honey," I held him tight, laying my head on Mori's chest, "Both of you."

"Take care of yourself, Lana," Mori smiled, "Please."

"I will," I promised, hoping I'd be able to keep it.

"Come on, Mitsukuni," Mori took Honey's hand, "Our flight is boarding."

"No!" Honey clung to me, "I don't want to leave her, Takashi! I want Lana-chan to come home with us! She's all alone here! It's not right!"

"Honey," I did my best to hold myself together, "I'll be fine. And you can come back and see me anytime you want."

"We can?" he looked up at me with heavy tears in his eyes.

"Of course you can," I wiped his cheeks with my cardigan sleeves, "You know where I live."

"Ok," Honey let me go, "Soon!"

"That's fine," I waved them off. And there it was. That inevitable empty feeling was back. Honey was right. I was practically alone here. Having Honey and Mori was nice while it lasted, but once I got home, it didn't get any better. Just more wallowing in my empty depression. And I knew one surefire way of slightly cheering myself up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Rhi," I curled up on my bed.

"Hi, sweetie," Rhiannon chimed, "Are you alright? You sound not good."

"Just a little depressed," I let out a heavy sigh.

"Alright, Lana," she said, "Talk to me. What's the matter?"

"Well," I began, "Honey and Mori just left."

"Aww!" Rhiannon whined, "I missed Honey and Mori? Dammit!"

"They've been gone for an hour now," I brought her back, "And I miss them already."

"Look, Lana," she told, "It's painfully obvious what you need. You're just too blind to see it."

"And what's that, Rhiannon?"

"What was the best thing to happen to you?" Rhiannon squeaked, "If you want to go back to Japan, sweetie, I can put my shop on hold and I'll pay your tuition."

"No," I scolded, "You know better, Rhi. I can't ask you to do that. I'll be fine. I'm just being a baby. I'll go see my doctor. I'll call Kyoya. I'll be ok."

"You sure?"

"Yes," I rolled my eyes. I know Rhiannon worries about me, but she could be a little overbearing, "If it makes you feel better, I'll call Dr. Moreno right now."

"It will make me feel better," she sang, "Call me later and send Kyoya my love."

"I will." After I send him mine.

"And if you ever need to come home," Rhiannon reminded me, "Or if you need me to come there, tell me."

"I will," I reiterated, "Now, I have to call Dr. Moreno."

"Ok," she let me go, "Love you!"

"Love you, too."

Click.

I really missed my sister. But I did need to see Dr. Moreno again. As much as I hated setting up doctor visits, I scrolled through my contacts, looking for the number for her office. I'm sure she worried about me, too. I've seen her appointment book. None of her other patients see her more than I do.

"Amanda Moreno."

"Hi, Dr. Moreno," I tried to keep my cringing to a minimum, "It's Lana."

"Hello, Lana," she chimed, "How are you, darling?"

"Do you think I could come in today?" I asked.

"Of course," Dr. Moreno said, "How about thirty minutes? Unless you have a prior engagement. Is this alright with you?"

"No," I shook my head. Plenty of time to touch base with Kyoya, "That's fine."

"I'll see you then!"

Click.

Now, only one more. The only voice I ever really wanted to hear. The one that made my heart skip a beat and burst into song all at the same time. I would much rather if he were here in person, but until that day comes, the phone would have to do.

"Hello, Lana," Kyoya's voice melted in my ear, "I was just about to call you."

"Great minds, I guess," I grabbed my bag off the chair and started heading out.

"What's wrong?" Kyoya worried, "You sound like you just lost your best friend."

"My best friend is six thousand miles away," I sighed out, "And Honey and Mori just left, so I'm a little down."

"Have you called your-"

"Yes," I cut him off, "I've called Rhiannon. I called my doctor. I'm actually on my way to my appointment now. I thought I could use the company."

"My pleasure," Kyoya awed, "Other than Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai leaving, what has you so depressed?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I scoffed, "I just…I'm homesick. I'm sure that's all this is."

"You do need to come home," he agreed, "But it's entirely your decision, Lana. If you want to come back, all you have to do is-"

Beep.

"Hold on," I stopped him, "It's my doctor. I have to take this. I'll be right back."

"Take your time," Kyoya insisted, "I'm not going anywhere."

"Hello?" I switched lines.

"Lana, it's Dr. Moreno," she answered, "Look, I hate to do this to you and I'm sorry, dear, but I have a family emergency I need to tend to. I won't be able to make it."

"Oh," I stopped in my tracks, "Are we going to reschedule then?"

"I have a replacement," Dr. Moreno explained, "He is more than capable of handling things while I'm gone. He'll be expecting you, but if you'd like to reschedule, that's fine, too."

"Um…" I wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that, but out of not wanting to make a scene and be more of a fuss than I was worth, "Ok. I guess I can do that."

"Thank you, Lana," she said, "I really am sorry I can't make it."

"It's fine," I switched back, "Kyoya?"

"Still her," he assured, "I told you I wasn't leaving. Is everything ok?"

"My doctor just canceled on me," I chuckled under my breath, "I'm so screwed up, she had to tag someone in."

"Lana," Kyoya scolded, "What have I told you about the self-loathing?"

"That I shouldn't do it."

"And why is that?"

"Because you don't like it when someone talks about your girlfriend like that."

"And?"

"She doesn't deserve it," I smiled a little, "Alright. I get it. That's not why she canceled. She said she had a family emergency that entirely wasn't my fault."

"That's better," he praised, "One day, I'm almost positive, I'll have you broken of that little habit."

"I have to go, Kyoya," I told, "I'm outside my doctor's office right now. Wish me luck."

"You'll be fine," Kyoya promised, "I'm going to go to bed."

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Lana."

"Good night."

I threw my phone back in my bag as a deep melancholy flooded my body. Damn, I missed him. December. I only had to wait until December. Then, I could see Kyoya again and everything would be wonderful again. I could do that, right? I'm sure I could if I tried hard enough.

I walked into Dr. Moreno's office and holy mother of God. Thank you, Dr. Moreno. This is not a drill. My new doctor was hot. I had a beautiful Asian man in my doctor's office. And for some reason, he made me feel at ease. In a way, my replacement doctor reminded me a lot of Kyoya. Between the 'I know everything about everyone' look in his eye down to the way he sat. It was like looking at Kyoya in the future.

"Hello," his velvety voice shook me to my core, "Lana, right? You're Amanda's appointment today?"

"Yeah," I felt the heat rising in my face.

"You can call me Yuuichi," he insisted while I tried my damnedest to not have a nosebleed, "Now, what seems to be the problem?"

"Well," I wanted to keep a lid on things. I really did. After all, I had an established relationship with Dr. Moreno. No matter how beautiful Yuuichi was, I didn't want him to see the crazy center I had under the fake candy coating. But because Lana's brain likes to play pranks on unsuspecting Lana, it all came out at once, "Two of my best friends left me today even though I wanted to scream at them not to. My boyfriend's six thousand miles away and I can't do anything about it. Every time he brings up bringing me back, I get all defensive and turn him down every single time. Although, I would do anything to be back with him again. But I still turn him down. I'm constantly depressed and it's exhausting. The only thing that could possibly make me slightly happy again is if I get back to Japan. But God only knows the next time I'll be able to get back there."

"Lana," Yuuichi's hand went to my shoulder, "You're spiraling. It's alright. Why don't you tell me about your boyfriend?"

"What about him?"

"Are you happy in your relationship?" he asked.

"Of course I am," I assured, "I just wish he wasn't so far away. When I was still living in Japan last year, all I had to do was tell him to jump and he'd be there. It took him ten minutes to get from his house to mine. Now, it'd take a little more than that. Other than that, though, things are great."

"What's his name?"

"Kyoya," I hid a little smile, "According to my sister, he's probably the best thing to ever happen to me. Can't say I don't agree with her."

"And last year," Yuuichi dug deeper, "You were attending Ouran Academy, weren't you?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "Why?"

"This wouldn't happen to be Kyoya Ootori," he smirked, "Would it?"

"Yeah," I gave him a look.

"You're Kyoya's Lana," Yuuichi figured, "Come on. We're getting tea."

"Ok." Who the hell was this guy? And how did he know I was Kyoya's Lana?

When we sat down at the cafe (one I had been to a million and one times over since I've lived in London. I had told Kyoya about this place once in passing.), one of the lovely waitresses came over to us. Her name was Cindy. I liked her. She never hovered my table, even if I was the only one in the entire cafe, "What can I get you two?"

"Jasmine and honey, right?" Yuuichi asked, "And earl grey for me."

"I'll have them out shortly," Cindy turned on her heel and went back into the kitchen.

"Yuuichi," I kept my voice down, "How do you know so much about me? My file can only tell you so much. I'm sure the way I take my tea isn't in there."

"When you said you were wanting to go back to Japan," he explained, "That kind of gave you away. I've heard about an American girl from my younger sister."

"Oh?" At this point, I was thinking Haruhi, but if I remember correctly, she's an only child. Renge maybe? No. Renge's an only child, too, I think.

"You haven't met my younger sister," Yuuichi went on, "At least, I'm pretty sure you haven't met her. But she heard about you through Kyoya himself. He's my little brother."

"Oh!" No wonder it felt like looking into the future. I felt so stupid, "Sorry. It takes a while for things to click in my brain."

"I understand," he dropped it, "You know, he's hopeless for you."

"He's done a lot for me," I stared aimlessly into my tea.

"Ever think about what you've done for him?" Yuuichi caught me by surprise.

"What do you mean?" I took care of Kyoya once. I'm pretty sure I owe him a few more for all the times he's taken care of me.

"He doesn't open up very much," he told me. Nothing I never knew before, "But it seems like the more time he spends with you, the more he wants to tell anyone willing to listen. He's genuinely happy because of you, Lana. No matter what he tells you, you're beyond special to him."

"Really?" Yuuichi got me a little choked up. I guess I wasn't as big of a burden on Kyoya as I thought. Maybe I was more than the helpless little head case.

"Definitely," Yuuichi promised, "Do you think you could do me a favor?"

"What is it?" I hardly spoke above a whisper. Any more than that and I would've been in tears.

"Take care of what makes my little brother happy," he took my hand, "Please."

"I can't promise anything."

"Promise me you'll try."

"Ok," I agreed, "I can do that."

"And call Kyoya," Yuuichi begged, "He worries about you."

"I will," I assured, "He's probably asleep by now and unless it's two in the morning and I'm crying, something tells me he'd be kind of upset with me."

"I have a feeling this has already happened," he guessed.

"Multiple times," I nodded, "Now, if it's ok with you, I'm going to go home."

"That's fine," Yuuichi let me go, "It was such a pleasure meeting you, Lana. And I'm proud of how you managed this. Maybe that time in the host club was actually good for you."

"Maybe it was," I blushed a bit.

"For the records, though," he stopped me, "How likely are you to come back to me again on a strictly professional basis?"

"Likely enough," I confirmed, "Thank you, Yuuichi."

"You're welcome," Yuuichi sent me off and I headed home. Bless you, Dr. Moreno. I needed to send her a fruit basket. I wonder if she knew Yuuichi was Kyoya's brother and her family emergency wasn't even real. I doubt it. Just a happy coincidence. Once I got home, I crawled in my bed, wrapped around my body pillow and drifted off to sleep. Hopefully, this was the beginning of better and brighter things for me.

 **A/N: I really need to get on a better time schedule. I mean, I'm posting hella early today. Then again, I had to take my nephew to school this morning and that meant getting up at the ass crack of dawn. Not to mention, between 8:30 and midnight last night, I couldn't type, so editing my NaNo project was out of the question. And what did I do in my downtime? Hand wrote this week's chapter. So, we all win.**

 **And I was so excited for this week's chapter. I couldn't wait to introduce Kyoya's brother. He's the oldest and the most like Kyoya canonically speaking. And Yuuichi has another little secret that Lana doesn't know about quite yet, but there's a good chance she'll be finding out soon. And it may or may not be the time he and his little brother went to a jeweler to pick out Lana's engagement ring…I'm just kidding! Thought I'd throw you a little heart attack. Like I'm going to actually tell you right here and now. No. That's silliness. Also! Can we talk about Honey breaking my heart in the beginning? Like, I could hear his little voice in my head saying everything and I just want to give that little angel a hug.**

 **How about a little bit of a hint for things to come? Not necessarily next week because I have something special planned for next week. But soon? Let's just say that Honey and Mori had the right idea. Ominous enough to keep you on your toes, but it'll make more sense once we go along. See you next chapter! xx**


	7. Home is Where the Heart is

**A/N: Dear internet, I know we've been conditioned for Valentine's Day to be hella depressing if we don't have anyone to share it with. I know I'm in that boat. But this year, I've decided to switch things up. Last year, I spent Valentine's Day miserable and binge watched Dramatical Murder (and wrote my first threesome in a fan fiction ever. That can be found in my Kuroshitsuji fic His Strange Little Girl and Her Butler, the Enigma in case you were looking. Two demons, one human? Shameless self-insertion? Why not?) but this year, I'm going to give you beautiful creatures of my Ouran fic an update, do my Yuri on Ice post-its for tomorrow, and get some of that treatyoself realness going on. Because it's better than the alternative. But since we're all a little awkward and that's why we're on the internet reading fan fiction, this update is solely for you. And in case you're worried about the whole BS about being alone on Valentine's Day, I'm declaring YOU, yes, YOU my valentine. And I love you all, no matter what day of the year it is. And my present to you is another Ouran chapter. I hope that's ok. All I ask for in return is for you to come back next week. Is that ok? I'm going to let you enjoy your present now.**

For the first time in a long time, something felt right. I wasn't sure if it was the feeling of a big bed and soft sheets or if it was the view of the mountains out my window. As I got out of bed, I found a bright red skater dress on the chair in the corner with some black leggings on the end table with a single red rose and a note in the most beautiful handwriting I've ever seen.

 _Whenever you're ready, come downstairs_

 _and meet me outside. I'll be waiting._

 _x_

I couldn't hold back a smile if I wanted to. If this boy knew how to do one thing in his life, it's outdo himself. Before I did anything else, I stepped out on the balcony, letting the night air over Karuizawa blow through my hair. Sure enough, when I looked down, I found the culprit responsible for my good feeling.

"What's all this about?" I asked, leaning over the railing.

"Good morning, princess," Kyoya's hosting charms never failed, "Why don't you come down here and I'll tell you."

"Ok," I guess I had no choice, "Give me a minute."

"Take all the time you need, Lana. I'm not going anywhere."

I threw my school uniform off and slipped on the red dress Kyoya laid out for me. And the leggings were just considerate. He knew how I hated the feeling of my fat thighs rubbing together. I did a quick onceover in the mirror, feeling surprisingly cute, and started downstairs. My God…

Not a single light was on. Only the flicker of the fireplace and a few well-placed candles illuminated the cabin's main room. And the smell…The smell was intoxicating. The combination of spices and burning wood made my head spin. Kyoya really did go all out for me. Then again, at this stage of the game, why should I even be surprised? Because Kyoya could still manage to catch me off guard like it was day one all over again.

"Hi," he stood at the table on the back deck of the Ootori family cabin with the softest smile on his face, "Miss me?"

Without another word, I threw myself into Kyoya's arms, trying my damnedest not to break down right then and there, "Of course I did, you moron."

"The name calling was unnecessary," he held me tight, sensing how on the verge of tears I was, "It's alright, Lana. I'm right here."

"Kyoya," I wept, "I want to come home. I want to come home so bad."

"I want you to come home, too," Kyoya kissed the top of my head, "In the worst ways. How about we start with dinner first?"

"Ok," I wiped my eyes while Kyoya pulled my chair out for me. This angel took the safe route and made my braised lamb. One of these days, I really needed to learn how to make good Japanese comfort food. Katsudon. Katsudon was delightful if I remember correctly.

"Lana," Kyoya sat across from me, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I allowed, sinking my teeth into a gift from the gods, "What is it?"

"What if you were to stay in London," he suggested, "And I come to live with you? Wouldn't that be the same as you coming back to Tokyo? And if we were to do it that way, you wouldn't have to leave London."

"But as of right now," I sighed out, "London doesn't have you. Or the boys. The aquarium in Shibuya. My apartment. I appreciate the sentiment here, Kyoya, but it's home. Tokyo has become more of home to me than London."

"You know," a little smirk popped up on Kyoya's face. Always a good sign, "You once said you considered yourself English over American because of your memories, right? You have better memories of England than the US?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "What about it?"

"Now that you've had better memories in Japan," he asked, "Would you consider yourself Japanese now?"

"No," I explained, "I spent eight years in London. I haven't lived in Tokyo long enough."

"I guess you're right," Kyoya agreed, "And besides, your last name sounds more English than Japanese anyway."

"That's true."

"So, then," he took my hand, "How about we change that, you and me?"

"What?" I choked on my water.

"We can do that, you know," Kyoya dropped to his knees in front of me.

"Kyoya," my heart dropped to my stomach and if he wasn't holding my hands, they'd be shaking with the rest of me, "What are you doing?"

"What's it look like I'm doing?" he smiled, getting off on the slight hell he was putting me through.

"Are you…" I felt a nosebleed looming over my head, "Are you…?"

"No, my princess," Kyoya's lips brushed against my knuckles, "It's 'will you'. And I think I should be the one to ask you that."

"You're asking me…" I could hardly speak. There was no way this as happening.

"I talked to Rhiannon a couple weeks ago," he told, "She gave me her blessing. I talked to Ranka last week. He gave me his blessing. Hell, I even talked to Tamaki a few days ago. And he gave me his blessing, too. That is the thing to do first, right? Asking Daddy for his permission for his little girl?"

"Oh my God…" I gasped as I watched Kyoya pull a little box out of his pocket, holding a sparkling sapphire in his hand.

"You told me you weren't big on diamonds," Kyoya recalled, "I figured the sapphire would bring out the blue in your eyes. Lana, I love you and you know that. You know I never want to see you hurt or scared or anxious. I want you to be ok. And I've come to notice that you're always ok when you're with me. So, how about the rest of our lives? Will you marry me?"

"Kyoya," the floodgates holding back the tears in my eyes busted open while he slid the silver band onto my finger, "I…I…"

In that moment, I woke up in a cold sweat with tears on my pillowcase. A dream. Of course it was only a dream. Oh well. Waking up disappointed and depressed. What else is new? Still in London. Still without Kyoya…Not celebrating my engagement. I reached into my nightstand drawer and took my handful of medication, hoping that would even me out. I checked my phone for Kyoya's usual good morning text and a notification saying classes were canceled for the day. As delightful as that news was, it wasn't good enough to make me not miserable.

Maybe a walk would help. I went out into the common room where all the other girls that lived in the dorm were huddled around like a flock of geese. Usually only a handful of things got them to be this close. Either someone died, someone got a man, or some sort of a reality show's casting call came up. I wondered what it could be today. My money's on casting call. It was a rare occasion we didn't get at least one flyer like that every couple of weeks.

"Some designer's looking for models for an upcoming show," one of the girls squealed.

"God knows you don't have the body for that, Melissa," Victoria shot her down, "Too many cakes in your stomach."

"So, who's looking, Vicki?" another one peeked over her shoulder.

"I don't even know how I'd pronounce this. It's definitely not English," Victoria looked the flyer over. As I tried to sneak past the huddled mass undetected, she let out a slight yelp, "Lana!"

Dammit, "What?"

"You know pronunciations better than any of us," she shoved the paper in my face, "Who's this on the advert?"

I took the flyer from her, "Yuzuha Hitachiin. She's a Japanese designer."

"Never heard of her," Victoria scoffed, "She any good?"

All at once, the gravity of the situation punched me right in my soul, "Yeah. She's pretty good. When is this casting call?"

"Next week," she chuckled a bit, "You're not seriously considering…Oh, my God, you are!"

"No!" I shook my head violently, "I wouldn't dream of it!"

"That's right," Victoria nodded, "There's no way any designer would even give you the time of day."

I guess now would've been a good time to tell her I had an original in my closet that happened to be custom made for me by Yuzuha Hitachiin with a little help from her sons and my boyfriend. But I didn't have the energy to go toe to toe with Victoria quite yet. But I knew damn well Yuzuha wasn't going to come alone.

"Excuse us, ladies," a familiar blend of voices called out, "Do you think we could have that sign-up list please?"

"Oh my," Victoria eyed them up, "Aren't you two cute…"

If I didn't have the energy to deal with Victoria, I sure as hell didn't have the energy to deal with those two. But, of course, they were eating the attention up. Why should I have expected anything different, right?

"It's a pleasure to meet you, princess."

"What's your name?"

"Victoria," she nearly turned into a puddle right there, "Are you two Yuzuha Hitachiin's assistants or something?"

"No."

"She's our mom."

"She said she'd be going to London for a couple months."

"We couldn't help but tag along."

Run, Lana. But don't look conspicuous. Don't draw attention to yourself. Just get your tea from the kitchen and hope to God you can still fly under the radar. I loved those boys to death, but I couldn't handle them right now. Maybe I'd have to schedule another appointment with Yuuichi later. As the Mission Impossible theme played in my head, I managed to sneak into the kitchen and grab a tea bag out of the cabinet.

Success. The kettle was still pretty hot, so I poured some water in my cup and dropped my bag in. Honey. Where was the honey? Top shelf, corner cabinet. Dammit! The disadvantages of being short! Why did Honey and Mori have to leave so soon? Mori would've gotten it for me. I stood on my toes, almost ready to jump onto the counter and grabbed the bear bottle. Hello, Mr. Honey Bear. Be a love and sweeten my tea for me.

Alright. By the looks of things, I was in the clear. Now, all I had to do was go back to my room and I'd be ok. Everything was going to be fine. I had my tea. I'd have my books. I'd be ok. I poked my head back in the common room and it was empty. Good. I didn't have to go all James Bond to get to my room again. I opened up my bedroom door and set my tea down on my nightstand, fully prepared to have my lazy morning.

"Did you really think…"

"…it'd be that easy?"

 **A/N: I just planted the best seed for next week. Or should I say seeds? I did say that Honey and Mori had the right idea. Now, Lana's yet again not completely alone in London! And I'm sorry about the dream sequence. Considering it was Valentine's Day, I wanted to do some Lana/Kyoya fluff. And where better than Karuizawa, where their romantic relationship began in the first place? But I'm sure that throwing the twins in at the end was plenty to make up for my pulling the rug out from under you, isn't it? Because…Well…You can't help but love them just a little bit. And we all know that where the twins go, shenanigans always tend to follow them or they get bored and cranky. So, on that note, hang in there, little camper. And I'll see you next chapter. xx**


	8. Kyoya's Mermaid Gets Her Land Legs

**A/N: Hi, guys! Guess who's back? My guest reviewer from Kiss, Kiss that I love so much! Don't worry. I don't play favorites. You guys know that. But forgive me for the heart attack that last week was. But look on the bright side. THE TWINS ARE IN LONDON. MY LITTLE ANIME FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY ARE IN LONDON. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. FASTEN ALL SEATBELTS. SEAL ALL ENTRANCES AND EXITS. CLOSE ALL SHOPS IN THE MALL. CANCEL THE THREE-RING CIRCUS. SECURE ALL THE ANIMALS IN THE ZOO. AND TO ALL THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND THAT REFERENCE I JUST MADE, YOU'RE THE COOLEST AND I LOVE YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR QUALITY TASTE IN SPACE FILMS. But all that aside, I'm going to let you guys read this. And…Well…You think we could talk at the end? I kind of need to vent. I know I say that's the purpose of this story is for me to have a place to vent my woes, but the twins are here. I'm going to let Lana have this bit of happiness. Especially with what's going to happen…But you'll find that out. I'll be waiting at the end.**

"What the hell are you two doing here?" I rubbed my eyes, thinking htis was a weird dissociation spell. Hikaru and Kaoru weren't actually in my room. They were just a big hallucination. Maybe a fever dream. I didn't feel warm. Didn't make this any less of a fever dream. The twins weren't really here. Hikaru wasn't laying on my bed and Kaoru wasn't sitting on my desk. Just a mirage.

"Our mom has a fashion show in London for her Winter line," Hikaru pulled me down to my bed.

"And you're in London," Kaoru sat next to me.

"We couldn't say no!" they hugged me tight.

"Ok," I guess I could let them have this one, "So, why are you in my room?"

"Better question," Hikaru switched tangents.

"When are you coming back to Japan?" Kaoru asked.

I hated when that came up. I didn't have the heart to tell them it may never happen again, "It'll be a while yet."

"Boo!" the twins harmonized.

"That's no fun," Hikaru pouted.

"Hey, Lana," Kaoru had a little glint in his eye, "What do you have planned for today?"

In all honesty, I had all intentions of staying in for the day. My book collection missed me. I was probably going to need to make an appointment with Yuuichi. Maybe ball up on my bed with a cup of chamomile. That sounded nice. But with my boys in town, I couldn't turn them down, "I got nothing. Why?"

"Because," Hikaru rested his head on my shoulder, "We're in London!"

"We need to play," Kaoru followed suit, "And we need to make up for last time."

"You mean lost time?" I corrected.

"Sure!" they grinned darkly, "Let's go with that!"

"What are we doing?" I worried as the twins pulled me onto my feet.

"She still hasn't learned, has she, Kaoru?"

"No, she hasn't, Hikaru. Isn't it adorable?"

Alright. Hikaru and Kaoru have been here for a total of twenty minutes and I'm already lost. But like a pair of good, obedient dogs, they stood outside my door while I got dressed for the day. And with my incident before Honey and Mori got here, I still had scabs on my sakura blossoms, so short sleeves were still not happening. One day, Lana. We'll get there. One day. I threw on a light skirt and my white cardigan and pushed through my bedroom door.

"You ready yet?" they asked, growing more and more impatient with me.

"Yeah," I nodded, "We can go."

"Yay!"

All we had to do was get through the common room and we'd be fine. It looked pretty empty in there last time I went through. That was always subject to change, though. And because Lana can't have nice things, Victoria and her little buddies were still gushing over the cute set of twins that had come in here.

"Wait," she sighed out, "Where are you two going? And with Lana, of all people?"

"Lana's a friend of ours," Hikaru put an arm around me.

"She comes first," Kaoru followed.

"Really?" Victoria glared daggers through me, "Well then, Lana...Aren't you the popular one?"

"She got the most popular boys in school to fall in love with her," Kaoru gushed.

"That's true," Hikaru added, "But honestly, she needs to stop making it so easy."

"Bye!" the twins dragged me out of my building and wisked me off to God knows where. Before I started spiraling, I put my foot down.

"Boys!" I stopped them, "Hold on! Where the hell are we going?"

"It's an adventure, Lana," Hikaru promised.

"Let it happen," Kaoru gave me a little nudge, "We did say we were making up for last time."

"LOST TIME," I reiterated, "Use the phrase right! And if we're going to go on one of your adventures, I need to make a quick phone call."

"For what?" they wondered.

"I need to call my lawyer," I dug my phone out of my bag, "Make a few updates to my last will and testiment. I'm writing you out."

"Hey, Lana!" my sister chimed, "What's up?"

"Who's that?" Hikaru listened in.

"Is that really your lawyer?" Kaoru mushed his face against his brother's.

"Boys!" Dammit. There's something I wanted to avoid.

"Rhiannon!" the twins sang out while Hikaru took my phone from me. Jerk.

"Is the whole club there or just you two?" Rhiannon asked.

"Just us," they both had a dirty smirk on their faces. And I'm scared, "Lana, stay."

"Fine," I turned the corner into the cafe. At this point, I could use a drink. Some tea sounded fantastic right about now. I ordered my usual cup of jasmine with honey and waited for the twins to come and get me. Leaving them unattended with my sister couldn't be good, but what the hell? We'll let them have their fun. When Rhiannon was in Japan with me, she did take a special shine to those two in particular. Other than Mori, but that was only when he opened his mouth.

"Lana!" Hikaru and Kaoru came in and gave me my phone back, "It's for you!"

"Considering it's my phone," I rolled my eyes a bit, "Hey, Rhi."

"You doing ok, sweetie?" she worried, "Your noggin on kilter? Took your medication today?"

"Peachy," I glared at the twins, "I'm all taken care of. And my new doctor's a miracle worker."

"New doctor?" Rhiannon got excited, "What new doctor?"

"I'll tell you about him later," I brushed her off.

"I want you to tell me about everything later," Rhiannon demanded, "But for today, can you do me a favor?"

"Depends on the favor."

"Let the boys treat you today," she begged, "Their hearts are in the right place. They're just a little aggressive with how they do it."

"You can say that again," I grumbled, "Fine. What the hell? Why not?"

"That's the spirit!" Rhiannon chimed, "Call me later, hon."

"I will."

"Love you!"

"Love you, too."

I threw my phone back in my bag and let my current worries of dread and fear go as Hikaru and Kaoru took me away to wherever they had planned. Wherever we were looked awfully posh for someone like me. And of course, that always made me nervous. Fortunately, I knew that at least one of them knew how to settle me down. Bless you, Kaoru Hitachiin.

"Mom!" the twins chirped, "We brought a friend!"

"Not now, boys," a very striking woman brushed them off, looking over some headshots, "I'm busy."

Hold the phone...Did they say Mom...?

"But Mom," Hikaru whined.

"We brought Lana," Kaoru pushed me forward.

And apparently namedropping me was enough to get her to stop dead in her tracks, "Lana? Like...Lana, Lana?"

"Yeah!"

"You're her?" the woman looked me over. Like a lioness hunting her prey.

"Y-yeah..." I stuttered, starting to get that anxious feeling again. Or maybe that was a bit of intimidation.

"I did something custom for you, didn't I?" she cradled my face in her hand, "Were you the one I did the mermaid dress for?"

"Y-yes..." I quivered under her touch.

"And?" she asked, "What'd you think? According to my boys, they said that you said it was too beautiful."

"It was," I kept quiet.

"For someone like you," she smiled a little, "I think it'd be perfect. Do you still have it?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "Why?"

"Hmm..." she assessed me a little closer, "I want you to walk for me."

"Huh?" my heart stopped. I really wished I hadn't taken my medication on an empty stomach again. Because something tells me I'm going to see it in one piece again on the floor.

"Lana," she held me against her chest, "Your dress has been my favorite masterpiece to date."

"Hey!" the twins pouted.

"Collaborative masterpiece," she corrected herself, "You can call me Yuzuha. And I want the world to see what I've done."

"Mom!"

"What we've done," Yuzuha rolled her eyes, "I swear, my boys are primadonnas. I've worked with models that were less whiny. But I want you to come back here with that dress and I want you to walk for me."

"I can't," I shook my head.

"Why not?"

"I just can't," I shakily stood my ground, "I have...problems that would be heavily triggered."

"You, too?" Yuzuha had a look in her eye. One I've seen in her sons many a time, but more specifically Hikaru. Did...Did she understand?

"What do you mean?" I couldn't help but ask.

"It's amazing what kind of power a runway can give you, Lana," she promised, "Once you're up there, it's not as scary as it sounds. Besides, this would be a one time thing. I swear."

"Um," I still wasn't completely sure if I could.

"Tell you what," Yuzuha picked my chin up, "Go play with Hikaru and Kaoru for a while. And when you come back, I promise you that you'll want to be up there."

"I'm flattered, Yuzuha," I blushed, "But I don't think that'll be the case. I have some of the most wicked self-esteem issues you will ever see in your life."

"Stubborn little thing!" she squeaked, "I like you. Now, go on. Hikaru, Kaoru, go get her ready."

"Got it!"

Gee. Hard to tell where my favorite pair of twins got it from. Hikaru grabbed my left arm and Kaoru my right. I had no idea where the hell we were going, but I had a feeling this was going to end up like the last time I was left unattended with these two. Even worse, I'm sure they got ideas from Rhiannon when they were on the phone.

Wait a sec.

 _We want to make up for last time._

Oh, crap. This was going to be like Shibuya all over again, wasn't it? No. This is different. We're on home turf. I know London like the back of my hand. I knew where everything was. This wasn't nearly like Shibuya. I'd be fine. Everything was familiar. There's no way they'd be able to recreate Shibuya. Hopefully, this won't end like Shibuya did.

And if it did, I still had Kyoya on speed dial. If anyone would be able to pull me through, it's him. Not to mention, after Hikaru and Kaoru got back to Japan, I'm sure Kyoya would have a very stern talking with them. And with Mori right there with him. But I didn't want my boys to end up beaten within an inch of their lives. I've kind of grown rather fond of them.

So, I let them do whatever the hell it was they wanted. I still needed to wrap my mind around what I was going to be doing. I'd be modeling for Yuzuha Hitachiin. Even worse, I'd have to call Rhiannon later and tell her. She's going to kill me out of sheer jealousy. Maybe I could still hook a sister up. If I didn't, that crime of passion would turn into cold blooded murder.

Apparently, I must have been so zoned out and distracted that I didn't realize what was going on. And the cold shock of water in my hair snapped me out of it. No, Lana. No, no, no. I'm sure you weren't there by yourself. I'm sure Hikaru and Kaoru were somewhere in the near vacinity. As my shaking started to worsen (not sure if it was the chill of the water or my general anxiety taking over), I felt a warm hand slip itself into mine, bringing me down a little bit.

Then, the water stopped and I could sit up again. My eyes followed the hand up the arm it was attached to. Kaoru. Of course it was, "You doing ok, Lana?"

"Yeah," I breathed it out, "I think so. What just happened?"

"How out of it were you?" Kaoru chuckled a bit, "We've been here for the last hour and a half. Hikaru went to get donuts."

"I didn't miss anything, did I?" Speak of the little devil.

"Nope," Kaoru assured, "The fun part hasn't started yet."

"What fun part?" I felt a knot in my stomach, "What did you two do?"

"First of all," Hikaru shoved a donut in my mouth. Bless him, "Know that it was mostly Rhiannon's idea."

"Sure," I rolled my eyes, "Blame my sister."

"But in all seriousness..."

"You look perfect, Lana!" the twins squealed in sync.

"Ok...?" I was still a little on edge, "You still haven't answered my question."

"See for yourself!"

Usually as a general rule, I avoided mirrors at all costs, but this? This had me curious. I looked in the mirror and almost had a heart attack. Even if I didn't know Hikaru and Kaoru had talked with Rhiannon earlier in the day, this still had her stink all over it.

My hair was two different colors. I've never done that before. I never wanted to do that. A bright, white blonde on top like it was naturally and a soft, turquoise blue underneath. What the hell did they do? Other than take advantage of my slightly sketchy mental state after meeting their mom.

"You know what we should do?" Hikaru chirped.

"What?" Kaoru asked.

"Let's video chat with Kyoya-senpai!" Hikaru already had his phone out before I could even object.

"Before we do that," Kaoru turned his attention toward me, "What do you think, Lana?"

"You boys made me a mermaid," I pulled myself together, "An actual, honest to God mermaid."

"Minus the tail."

"It really does suit you, Lana," Hikaru complimented, scrolling through his phone's contacts.

"If one of you aren't dying," his phone snarled, "You're going to wish you were."

"Long live the Shadow King," Hikaru poked the bear a little more.

"Hi, Kyoya-senpai!" Kaoru chimed in behind his brother, "Guess where we are?"

"The depths of Hell where you belong," Kyoya growled, sounding like he was half dead. Then again, it was probably pretty early in the morning in Tokyo right now. I don't think the twins understood how time zones worked.

Before there was any bloodshed or Kyoya went into a sleep deprived rage fit, I knew the one thing that could get him to relax almost instantly, "Kyoya...?"

"Lana...?" I wasn't sure if it worked or made things worse, "You idiots are in London?"

Uh-oh. I think it might have made things worse.

"Yeah," the two of them said, "Our mom brought us with. We thought we'd drop in on Lana."

"I swear," I could feel the dark shadow emanating around Kyoya, "If either one of you hurt a single hair on her head."

"We didn't!" they promised.

"But you need to tell her she looks ok," Hikaru demanded.

"She won't listen to us," Kaoru pouted.

"You morons, put Lana on," Kyoya snapped.

"Hey," I took Hikaru's phone, "I'm fine. I promise."

"Good," he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, "Lana..."

"Hey, baby," I smiled, "I miss you."

"Do you remember," Kyoya began. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that by the light of his phone, there was a little more color in his face, "when you and I went to the aquarium in Shibuya?"

"Like it was yesterday," I felt my heart skip a beat, "Why?"

"I'm not sure if I'm dreaming or not," he admitted, "And that might be my fantasy projection, but it's standing very true right now, my Ariel."

"My Eric," I put my hand to the screen.

"Hikaru, Kaoru," Kyoya barked out.

"Yeah...?" they both looked a tad nervous. Almost as if they feared for their lives.

"Excellent job, both of you," he praised, "If you would've called me at a more reasonable hour instead of two in the morning, I'd be giving you more accolades, but I'm tired as all hell and want to go back to sleep."

"Thanks, Kyoya-senpai!" the twins beamed, proud of their work.

"Lana?" Kyoya brought it back to me, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," I promised, "I'll call you when you wake up in a few hours, ok? Go back to sleep."

"I will," he made himself comfortable, "I love you."

"Love you, too," I blushed a bit. And just like that, Kyoya was gone.

"Aww..."

"Shut up," I was ready to beat these two on my boyfriend's behalf.

"Come on," Hikaru pulled me onto my feet.

"We have a thing to get you to," Kaoru took my other hand.

"Hold on," I stopped them both, "We need to go back to my place first."

I loved these scatterbrained morons. I really did. The three of us went back to my room and grabbed my dress from my closet. So many memories. I needed to go back to Japan so bad. I needed to go back in time to that night when Kyoya and I showed the world what we are. Sure, I hated it at the time and the following Monday, but looking back on it, he just wanted to show the world what he had. And that no one else was going to get it. I think he liked me.

When I was on my way out of my room, I had caught a glimpse of myself in my mirror and really got a decent look at myself. Wow. Hikaru and Kaoru weren't kidding. I really did have a certain mermaid quality. And I looked pretty damn hot, to be honest. If I were walking past a construction site, I'd whistle at myself. As big of a statement as the blue hair was, it wasn't as much of a punch in the face as I thought it was. Damn, Lana! Who's this bitch? Because she's cute as hell and firing on all cylanders! I did one more spin in the mirror and headed out with my boys.

I was definitely the caliber worthy of Yuzuha's runway. That's for sure. And to think, this was just a casting call. Although, I'm sure she was going to pick me. By the way she was talking when we first met, I had already won Yuzuha's heart. However, Hikaru and Kaoru were right. It is impossible not to fall in love with me. Wherever this new surge of confidence came from, I wanted to bottle it and buy it in bulk.

"Alright, ladies," the director got everyone together, "Let's see you."

All of the other girls got into a line and I joined them with my dress in its garment bag on my arm. Sure enough, I was hoping I wouldn't have had to deal with her while I was here, but oh, well. I'll live. I'll persevere.

"What are you doing here, Lana?" Victoria gave me a look, "And what's with the blue in your hair? Trying too hard, are we?"

"Hey!" Hikaru and Kaoru were ready to deck this bitch.

"Well?" she waited with baited breath, "Cat got your tongue or are you really that dead from the neck up?"

"Lana!" I had the twins on pins and needles...and a little bit of a smirk on my face.

"That's cute," Victoria awed, "You managed to brainwash these two into thinking you're actually worth the effort."

"Because she is worth the...!"

"Boys," I settled them, "I got this. Why don't you two take a knee?"

"Ok," they weren't going to get in my way. I think they knew better. Although, they've never seen me mic drop like this, but here it goes.

"You know what, Victoria," I grinned darkly, "You think I'm not worth the effort? That I'm as stupid as they come because I'm not exactly mentally stable?"

"Duh."

"And no designer's going to give me the time of day because I look like the dredged bottom of a lake?"

"Stating the obvious here, Lana," Victoria rolled her eyes, "Do you have a point or are you just going to ramble my ear off?"

"I am worth the effort," I stood my ground, getting in her face, "Those two over there? They adore me. Yuzuha herself? I'm sure she loves me, too. Am I right, Yuzuha?"

"That's right, Lana," Yuzuha popped up, having my back.

"You're on a first name basis...?" Victoria started to sweat.

"Oh, yeah," I nodded, "And you're whiny and jealous because the cute twins that came in this morning wanted to pay more attention to me than you. Why? Because they love me. And that just pisses you off to no end, doesn't it?"

"Well..."

"And another thing," I went on, "You said no designer would give me the time of day, right? Yuzuha, how long did it take you, Hikaru, Kaoru, Kyoya, and Tamaki to come to an agreement on my dress?"

"About a week and a half," Yuzuha did the math in her head, "Maybe closer to two."

"I'm done trying to please you, Victoria," I growled, still maintaining the smile on my face, "Because whether or not you know that I'm cuter than all hell is your own problem. You're not worth the time or the effort. Not to mention, I don't think Yuzuha would want you sullying her runway."

"No," Yuzuha looked her over, "She looks like a big Q-tip."

"We're done here," I rendered her speechless. And I think the boys caught that, too, "Yuzuha, do you mind if I take five?"

"Take as long as you want," she allowed, "Show's next week."

"Right then," I turned on my heel, "Hikaru, Kaoru, I need tea. Let's go. Later, bitch."

The feedback could be heard around the world as that mic went down to the floor. And the adrenaline rush was absolutely intoxicating. I never wanted this head rush to go away. I haven't felt this good since I told off Beni-bara when she offered me a spot in the Zuka club. As the three of us sat down at our table at the cafe, Hikaru and Kaoru were still frozen in sheer disbelief.

"Would one of you two say something?" I giggled, sipping on my tea, "The silence is starting to get a bit uncomfortable."

"Where in the hell did that come from?" Kaoru gasped.

"We've never seen you blow up like that, Lana," Hikaru shared his brother's sentiment.

"I've put up with her for so long," I melted onto the tabletop, "I don't know what came over me. I don't know what demon possessed me enough to make something like that happen, but I'm not complaining."

"What about when the dust settles?" Hikaru wondered, "Are you going to be ok?"

"Oh, yeah," I assured, "She's not going to touch me. Maybe she'll finally get off my ass and leave me alone. I just hope I can have this kind of buzz next week."

"That was incredible, though," they awed.

"I feel like I just went nine rounds in the octogen," I admitted, "But I'm sure I'll feel better after a nap."

"At this point," Hikaru began.

"You might as well go to bed," Kaoru checked the clock.

"Maybe," I let out a tiny yawn and waited for my buzz to wear off. All I needed now was to finish my tea and call it a night. After that, I'd say some well-deserved rest was in order.

 **A/N: I'm so proud of our little badass. And I've been wanting to change Lana's hair color since Kiss, Kiss. Originally, I was going to have Hikaru, Kaoru, and Rhiannon do it while she was asleep at the host club rager at Kyoya's house, but instead, we got Honey taped to the ceiling. Girlfriend has definitely given enough middle finger for one day, though. And I'm so proud of her.**

 **So, about that thing. I kind of had a bit of an existential crisis the other day and figured you guys would be the best one to vent this to. Why? I don't know…Because we're all kind of screwed up in one way or another and we understand? I don't know. Don't mind me. But I had this thought that kind of had me rendered pretty useless for a while.**

 **I've been writing fic and posting it online regularly for the past year and a half. It'll be two years in August. What has it accomplished for me? It's times like these where I relate way too hard to Ariel from the Little Mermaid when Part of Your World comes on for the first time. I mean, I have all of you guys. I have at least a hundred views every update on the first day. I get followers every time I post. But who cares…? No big deal…I want morrrrre…Like for some reason, every time I go to write fic these last couple days, or anything really, it's just been an uphill climb on ice. But if I don't write something, I feel even worse. And I don't want to leave you guys. I don't want to say you depend on me because I know you'd understand if I were to take hiatus to get my head right. In fact, I can almost hear you bitching at me from the other side of the screen to take hiatus and get my head right.**

 **But it's more like I depend on you. This is where I get my regularly scheduled validation. I know that if I post, someone's going to be waiting in my review section to give me praise and accolades abound. And for someone that doesn't get that too often or tries to get it from someone in her own life, but it gets shut down (or I get the so what feeling), that's pretty important. I don't know. I'm just kind of stuck in a rut and if I leave the rut, my anxiety pulls me back into said rut, tucks me in and reads me a bedtime story.**

 **Maybe I'm just bitching and moaning and need to shut up. Or I need to not let that shit get me down. But it's really, really hard not to. Even harder to get through shit like this on your own. To put it in terms we all understand, it's like every day for the past week or so have been for me like Haruhi and the thunderstorm and I've been locked in the wardrobe, if that makes any sense. Anyway, I'm going to go pull myself together and muddle through my existential dread and I'll see you next chapter. xx**


	9. Kiss, Kiss the Girl

**A/N: First, I'd like to go on record and say I have the sweetest fan base in the world and I wouldn't trade you for all the tea in Lana's cabinets. I'd say all the tea in China, but I'm sure Lana has more. Now, I'd like to go off record and call you guys the biggest assholes I've ever had the fortune of meeting. I really do appreciate the outpouring of love and support I get from you guys when I get in my little fits of self-loathing like that. Give yourselves a pat on the back for that, but be careful to not pull your shoulder.**

 **Also, to my guest reviewer from Kiss, Kiss, you are some sort of mystical force from the other side and all ominous and I love it. I've actually given hiatus a great thought. However, because I don't know what to do with myself and I'd just get heavily depressed, I'm going to keep on truckin' here, if that's alright.**

 **I did take the weekend for the most part, though. After I hammered through Friday's chapter on FictionPress (which if you're not reading His Girl Friday Nights, I'm very disappointed in you), I did some hanging out in my review section like I did any other time I post to any website. Saturday, I did a mass binge of Death Note (and watched the first episode of Your Lie in April. Kind of wanted to see what the hype was about. And I squealed my little heart out because in the English dub, the voice for Kousei and the voice for Tsubaki are also the voices for King and Diane in the Seven Deadly Sins and I cry because OTP. And upon further speculation, there are a LOT of people in the Seven Deadly Sins that are in Your Lie in April. Sweet Jesus…King, Diane, GILTHUNDER, and someone else, too…). I haven't gotten to the sad part in Death Note yet, but I know it's coming. It's like when I rewatch Fullmetal Alchemist and…Well, we're just not going to talk about that. It still hurts.**

 **But I'm doing a little better now. Not much, but progress is progress. Now, I'm going to let you read today's chapter and I'll be on my way, ok? I'm going to jump down to the bottom now. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE….**

Why? Why did I have to agree to this? Why could I never say no to Hikaru and Kaoru? Why did I let them do whatever they wanted? Why couldn't the buzz from casting have lasted longer? I had been fully medicated, but now, I regret everything and was left completely empty. Sure enough, it had to hit the day before. All day, I hardly wanted to move.

Ring, ring.

I swear to God, if it's either Hikaru or Kaoru again, I'm punching a wall. They've been blowing up my phone since noon. No. Good, "Hello?"

"Hi, Lana," Yuuichi spoke on the other end, "Are you busy?"

"Define busy," I rolled over, pulling my blanket over my shoulder.

"Doing something other than talking to me."

"No," I sat up, "I'm not busy."

"You wouldn't happen to want to get dinner, would you?" he offered, "I really don't want to eat by myself."

"Sure," I sighed out, "That sounds good. Meet me at the pub by my dorm in ten minutes?"

"I can do that," Yuuichi agreed, "See you then."

"Bye."

Click.

Dammit. A dinner date with Yuuichi and I had zero desire to get out of bed. Maybe this was just what I needed. He was my doctor until Dr. Moreno came back from Wales. Hopefully, he'll pull me out of whatever funk I've been in. I slipped my shoes on and left for the pub. If I could, I'd have a drink, but the jerk behind the bar probably wouldn't serve me.

"Hi, Elliot," I took a seat at the bar. Awfully quiet in here for a Friday night.

"Hey, Lana," Elliot joined me, "What are you doing in here?"

"I'm meeting up with someone," I told him, "Two of the usual."

"Would you order anything else?" he jabbed, calling my order back, "So, who you meeting with? Boyfriend? Am I finally getting his lamb recipe?"

"No," I giggled a bit, "Right gene pool, wrong brother."

"Damn!" Elliot pouted, "And here I got my hopes up."

"Sorry, Elliot," I apologized, "My boyfriend's braised lamb recipe remains a secret."

"Your boyfriend has a braised lamb recipe?" Yuuichi took the empty bar stool next to me.

"Yeah," I nodded, tasting it in the back of my throat, "He made it for me in Karuizawa. It's pretty fantastic."

"You must be the boyfriend's brother," Elliot assumed.

"I'm her boyfriend's brother," Yuuichi confirmed, "Could I get a vodka martini please?"

"Sure, mate," Elliot grabbed the vodka off the back bar.

"So, Lana," Yuuichi looked me over, "How are you?"

"I'm not sure," I confessed.

"What kind of not sure?"

"Just that," I reiterated, "I've gone flat."

"What do you think caused it," he asked as Elliot slid a martini glass to him, "Thank you."

"No problem," Elliot gave him a nod, "Your lamb should be out in a bit, Lana."

"Thank you, Elliot," I smiled a bit, "Well, I have a thing with Hikaru and Kaoru in the morning."

"You're modeling for Yuzuha, right?" Yuuichi assumed.

"Yeah," I gave him a look. Yeah. Can't tell he's Kyoya's brother. They both knew everything. In my year of knowing Kyoya, I've learned not to question it.

"And what's got you so unsure?" he ran his finger around the rim of his glass.

"I don't know," I melted onto the bar top, "The whole affair has me a little overwhelmed. I'm pretty sure I'm not cut out for it."

"You're young," Yuuichi pointed out, "You're cute. I don't see why not."

"That's convincing," I grumbled sarcastically.

"Don't do that to yourself, Lana," he chastised, "You don't deserve that. I'd get Kyoya on the phone to drill that into your head a little more, but then, he'd know I was here with you."

"Hold on," I perked up, "Kyoya doesn't know you're here?"

"No," he shook his head, "Getting you was a happy accident. Amanda called me, asking if I was in the area and if I'd take care of one of her clients for her. Lo and behold, here we are. Sitting in a pub in London with braised lamb between us and a new-found friendship."

I let out a heavy, depressed sigh, "What do I do, Yuuichi? It's times like these where if I was still living in Tokyo, I'd be calling Kyoya and he'd be offering some sort of insight. Or he'd be beating the hell out of Hikaru and Kaoru for even putting me in this situation in the first place. No...Kyoya wouldn't do it. He'd outsource it to Mori and Mori would take care of them."

"Lana," Yuuichi took my face in his hand, "You'll be fine. I promise you that. Get rid of all the self-doubt in your head and you'll do alright. You can do this. I know you can."

"You know," I stole a quick drink from his martini, choking back the vodka and the fond memories it brought back. Thanks, Rhiannon, "Maybe you're right. Maybe I should just shut up about it and let it happen."

"And if you need me," Yuuichi finished his martini, "Call me. And never drink my drinks for me again."

"Sorry," I blushed a little, "But thank you..."

Beep!

"What's that all about?" he asked, nodding to my phone in my pocket.

I pushed my home button, illuminating my screen. I swear, it's like he knows.

 _You ok?_

"It's your brother," I smiled, feeling a warmth radiating through my extremities, "You know how he worries about me."

 _Just finished dinner. Hard time sleeping?_

Beep!

 _Kind of. You're not here._

In those three words, my heart completely shattered. I really needed to get back to Japan. Not just for my sake anymore. But for his, too. I couldn't bear the guilt of being the one making Kyoya just as miserable as I was. Maybe this was my punishment for doing just that.

"Everything alright?" Yuuichi worried, "You're not talking him down, are you?"

"No," I assured, slipping my phone back in my pocket, "He's alright. Just can't sleep."

"I thought so," he did the math in his head, "It's got to be three in the morning there."

"He doesn't have me to sleep with," I reported with a heavy sorrow in my heart.

"Well," Yuuichi got up, throwing some money on the counter, enough for both of us, "I should be going. Take care of him, Lana."

"I will," I promised, following him out.

Once I got home, I jumped back into my bed and curled into my pillows. All parts of my body were telling me to go to sleep except for one. My heart. I scrolled through my recent calls and hit dial. I just hope he hasn't completely clocked out yet. Those texts weren't sent all that long ago. If Kyoya was having problems sleeping, there's no way he was out yet.

"Hey," he answered, "What are you doing calling me?"

"You know damn well why I'm calling you," I beamed, wrapping myself around my body pillow, "Because you need to get some sleep whether you want to or not. If this were the other way around, you know you'd be bitching at me."

"I would," Kyoya admitted, "Then again, if I were in complete control of this, you'd already be back in Japan and I'd be at your apartment by now. We wouldn't have to be doing this over the phone."

"Best of a bad situation," I swallowed back tears, "I'm sorry, Kyoya. I will be back in Tokyo some day."

"Graduation?" he assumed, "Would you come back after you graduate?"

"I might," I thought it over, "On one condition."

"What's that?"

"We take another trip to Karuizawa," I stipulated, "I went to the pub tonight and got braised lamb. Still nothing like yours."

"Is that the only reason you keep me around?" Kyoya teased, "Because my cooking is incredible?"

"That is what you bring to the relationship," I giggled, "But you know why I keep you around."

"I seem to remember you saying something about me," he recalled, "being the human embodiment of your medication."

"I knew that was going to come back to bite me in the ass," I grumbled, "I miss you, Kyoya. I miss you so much."

"I miss you, too," Kyoya promised, "December, remember? Or the first chance I get. Whichever comes first."

"I have to get up tomorrow morning," I rubbed my eyes, "Are you going to be ok without me for the day?"

"What do you have planned for tomorrow?" he wondered with worry in his voice.

"The twins and I have a thing," I explained, "Don't worry. Everything's going to be fine. It's like you said, they know better."

"They do know better," Kyoya agreed, "But they're also stupid enough to do it anyway."

"I'll be able to handle it," I assured him, "I promise. But I'm going to go to sleep."

"Me, too," he said, "Thank you, Lana. I needed to hear your voice again."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Click.

I missed the hell out of him. I don't know how much longer my body pillow was going to cut it. Maybe I should ask for another one for anyone wanting to get me birthday presents. I mean, any other year, I'd get a card from my parents, a phone call from Rhiannon, and a cupcake from the dorm advisor. Other than that, I wasn't holding my breath. Then again, I never told the host club about my birthday last year.

Regardless, I plugged my phone in and put on a onesie that the twins had gotten for me last week. A white unicorn with a holographic horn and a pastel rainbow mane. I had to admit, it did make me feel like I was five, but adorable nonetheless. I wrapped myself up in my blankets and fell asleep with Kyoya's voice on a loop in my brain. The best lullaby I could ask for.

The next morning, all I could feel was warm. An oddly comforting warmth. Like the one Kyoya would give me when he'd come in my room to wake me up after he stayed the night. The cocktail of warmth, security, and nostalgia made me want to cry, but at the same time, they'd be tears of joy. I missed that. Happy crying.

However, this felt different. Normally, when Kyoya would come and wake me up, he'd be pressed against my back. Right now, I had my back to the mattress and the warm feeling on both sides of me. But still half asleep, I wasn't going to question it. All I knew was that I wanted more of it. That is, until my brain caught up and reality began to set in.

"Good morning, Lana."

"Wake up, princess."

Slowly, my eyes began to open up and I stared blankly at the ceiling, "What...The hell...Are you two doing...In my bed?"

"We came to get you," the twins chirped, despite the fact that I was ready to grab both of them by their throats and pin them against the wall until the kicking stopped.

"What time is it?" I grumbled, looking over at my clock. 6AM? Eww...

"Time to go!"

"This early, though?" I threw my hood over my head and burrowed back into my blankets.

"Yep!"

"Hold on a minute," I came to a little more, "How in the hell do you two keep getting in?"

"We manage," Hikaru shrugged.

"Yeah," Kaoru agreed, "Now, come on!"

Hikaru and Kaoru grabbed me by my arms and started dragging me out of bed. All while I tried to regain my footing, "Wait! Hold on!"

The twins let me go and if I didn't want them dead before, that just put the nail in their coffin. Relax, Lana. Remember what Kyoya said. Sure, they know better, but they're stupid enough to go through with it anyway. I loved these morons, but hated them all the same. I kicked them out of my room and began to pull myself together, still half dead and sleep deprived. After a quick shower and getting my onesie back on, I pushed through my bedroom door.

Hikaru and Kaoru stood outside like a pair of good, obedient dogs waiting for me. And they knew me all too well. Some days, I wanted to strangle them. Some days, I loved them. That thought was completely dependent on them.

"Here, Lana," Hikaru handed me a to-go cup.

"It's jasmine and honey," Kaoru explained as the first drink burned the sin out of my soul, washing down the handful of medication I had.

"I hate you both," I growled, starting to understand why they called Kyoya the Shadow King. In this moment, I was sure the queen was taking the throne.

"We love you, too!" the twins sandwich hugged me while I contemplated their individual deaths.

The three of us headed out to this hotel that Yuzuha's show was going to be at. This was going to be fine. I was going to be fine. It's like Yuuichi said. I'm young. I'm cute. I'd be ok. At least I hoped so. When we walked in, I could see them building the set in the ballroom out of the corner of my eye.

"Are you ok, Lana?" Hikaru asked.

"You've been spacy since we got here," Kaoru shared his brother's concern.

"Fine," I brushed them off, "Why?"

"You know," Hikaru threw his arm around me.

"You can still back out of this," Kaoru followed suit, "No one would blame you."

"You guys," I assured, "I'm fine. Have you just met me? I'm always a little spacy."

"That's true," they agreed, opening one of the rooms.

"What's this about?" I gave them a look.

"They're here for you," Kaoru nudged me forward.

"They're getting you ready for today," Hikaru elaborated.

"Oh." Reality began to set in. And my anxiety got even worse. No. No, no, no. Not today. I don't need this today. I needed some sort of stability. I needed something to settle me. After the twins left, I started slipping out of my room. I shouldn't be here and everyone knew it.

Maybe if I just step outside, no one will know I'm gone. Then again, I did have a small team waiting for me. And they all looked like they were stuck-up and judging me harshly. Not surprised. I slept terribly last night and taking care of myself was too exhausting. Not to mention, the raw material wasn't much to look at either. I sat on the bench outside the hotel, breathing out my panic attack.

"Lana?" a soft voice approached me, breaking up the angry voices in my head, "Are you alright?"

"No," I shook, "I'm not alright at all."

"Hey," Kaoru wrapped his arms around me, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I shouldn't be here."

"Yes, you should."

"No, I shouldn't," I put my foot down, "You know it as well as I do. I've never been so out of place in my life. The last time I was this out of place, I passed out in the music room."

"And what happened after that?" Kaoru asked, doing his best to settle me down, "You met us. Tamaki-senpai took care of you and we took you in as one of our own. You have every right to be up there as much as anyone else. I can promise you that, Lana. You deserve to be up there. If you could manage to not only impress the host club that day, but our very opinionated, very particular mother, you can do anything you want."

"I'm sure I could," I grumbled, burying my broken face in his shoulder.

"Come on, Lana," Kaoru picked my chin up, "Where's the fire from last week?"

"A week of school beat it out of me," I started to relax a little.

"I refuse to allow that," he held me a little tighter.

Before I knew it, I had a pair of headphones on my head and Hikaru on the other side of me, scrolling through his phone, "Any requests?"

"Surprise me," I allowed, falling into the instrumental that played in my ear. Almost like a lullaby. My God, this reminded me of Tamaki's piano playing. And I melted into it. I had been so zoned out, I didn't even remember going back inside. Or into that hotel room where the team assigned to everyone's favorite flight risk waited around for me.

As the playlist came to a close, I was already done. This gave me flashbacks to the host club party again. Kyoya told me he loved me in front of the entire school. He claimed me in front of the world. And I wouldn't have had that any other way. I missed nights like that. But more than that, I thought of my sister getting me ready in the first place. Granted, these were professionals, but I'd much rather Rhiannon. Familiarity.

"Lana?" Yuzuha came in, "You ready?"

"No," I shook my head, "But what other choice do I have?"

"Out," she called the team off. They scurried off like ants terrified of the magnifying glass, "Rumor has it, you were a little flighty before."

"Yeah," I winced, "I'm sorry. It got to be a little too much for me. I'm a simple girl."

"Oh, Lana," Yuzuha took my hands, "If you were just a simple girl, sweetheart, I wouldn't have done anything for you. Your dress never would've happened. You wouldn't step foot on my runway. But you're so much more than simple. Don't sell yourself so short. You, my dear, are extraordinary. Let no one tell you different. And by no one, I mean no one. Not even yourself. Because you are my favorite little project and I want to see you fully realized. Now, do you need anything else? Are you ok?"

"I think so," my voice broke.

"Don't start crying on me, honey," she smiled, "It might say waterproof, but we don't need to test it."

"Thank you, Yuzuha," I pulled myself together, "I'm ok."

"You know," Yuzuha hugged me tight, "If I would've had a daughter over Hikaru and Kaoru, I feel like she'd be a lot like you."

So, this was what an understanding, loving mother felt like. My own had her moments, but none of them were like this. I wanted to keep Yuzuha in my pocket and never wanted to let her go. I almost started bawling in her arms, but somehow, she had a magical power to keep me from doing that. This woman was a saint. She had to be.

"I'll be ok," I promised, "I'll still get up there."

"That's my girl," she picked me up, "Besides, you won't see the crowd when you're up there. The lights are too bright. If you think of it as an empty room, you'll be fine. You're not going to trip because I have you barefoot. There aren't any loose nails. I made sure of that. You'll do great, Lana. I promise. There's no way you can screw it up. Come on. You need to get in the line."

"Ok," I wasn't completely sure of how this was going to work, but all I knew was that I was dead last. Yuzuha's winter line had been inspired by fairytale princesses. Lucky me got to be Ariel. But I didn't want to be a mermaid. I couldn't be a mermaid. They were too beautiful.

Instead, I wanted to be a jellyfish. They were simple creatures like me. Little blobs with long, lacy tentacles floating in the water. That was all I aspired to be. All they did was swim through the water. Granted, I couldn't swim, but still. They had no brain to work themselves up with. That was the best part.

When the music died out from the last model (who was intended to be Snow White, I think), I snapped out of my headspace. Snow White was my cue. This was it. This could either go very well or horrendously bad. Fingers crossed for the first one. Then, my song came on. A familiar tune that brought me back in time. One that I so desperately needed to hear.

"There you see her," it played, "Sitting there across the way. She don't got a lot to say, but there's something about her..."

That line alone was Kyoya and my relationship in a nutshell. Before I went into the host club that day, I noticed Kyoya out of the corner of my eye sitting two rows away from me and a seat or two back. He kept shooting the occasional glance at me like he had seen something shiny. But me being me, I kept my mouth shut, terrified to talk to someone like that. As much as I love Kyoya to death, he came off really intimidating.

As Kiss the Girl played around me, my face lit up and everything was good again. I took to that runway like a duck to water. I had this. I had Kyoya in the back of my head and our song in my heart. Once I got to the end of the runway, I did a little spin completely out of reflex, watching the skirt of my dress billow out a little from beneath me. I wasn't sure if it was my dress spinning with me or my memories, but I couldn't hold back a smile if I wanted to. And it made a camera flash put stars in my eyes.

When I walked back behind the curtain, I went on a manhunt for my favorite pair of idiots. They stood by the emergency exit with open arms, "Lana, you were a natural!"

"I love you guys," I wept, "You had something to do with that, didn't you?"

"With what?"

"You know what," I wiped my eyes, "It doesn't matter now. But thank you."

I had such a fullness in my heart and an ache in my bare feet and all I wanted was to sit, but I had a permanent smile on my face. Hikaru and Kaoru might have been idiots, but they were my idiots. And I wouldn't trade them for the world. The show wrapped up after going off without a hitch and everyone started to clear out. I met with Yuzuha and the twins outside.

"Are you sure you won't stick with me full time, Lana?" Yuzuha begged, "It's beautiful clothes and traveling the world and amazing parties all the time. What's not to love?"

"Sorry," I giggled a bit, "It's not for me."

"If you ever want to change your mind..."

"I'll call you," I cut her off, "Thank you, Yuzuha. For everything. Really."

"No problem, sweetheart," Yuzuha hugged me, "You need anything, give me a yell. You know where I'll be."

"We don't even know," Hikaru started.

"Where you are half the time," Kaoru finished.

"But you boys have my number, last I checked," Yuzuha reminded, "It wouldn't kill you to call me either."

"Shots fired," I teased, "How's it feel to be on the other end of it, boys?"

"Hey!" the twins pouted.

"I love you, Lana," Yuzuha smiled, "You keep them in line just as well as I do."

"I try," I blushed a bit. And just like that, Yuzuha walked away, leaving me with her boys.

"We're so proud of you, Lana," Hikaru threw an arm around me.

"Yeah," Kaoru did the same, "Kyoya-senpai would be, too."

"So," I thought it over, "Does this mean you two are going back to Japan soon?"

"Probably."

"Could you do me a favor?" I asked, "Kiss Kyoya for me?"

"Only if he won't punch us first," Hikaru chuckled to himself.

"Hey, Lana," Kaoru squeaked, "There's an afterparty tonight. You want to come with us?"

"I'll have to pass," I shot them down, "Thanks but no thanks. I think I'm just going to go back to my room and call it a day, if that's alright with you."

"And if it's not?"

"Then, that's too bad," I headed for the first available bus, "See you later, boys!"

"Bye, Lana!"

The hotel shrank into the horizon and I left my boys behind. I needed a massage and a nap after the day I've had. After the hell I went through. But in all honesty, it wasn't that bad. It was kind of fun. Minus my panic attack. It would've been nice if Hikaru and Kaoru would've told me I'd have professionals waiting for me in a hotel room. Did they just assume I'd know?

All that aside, I had one thing left to do. Because I know she'd kill me if I kept this from her, I started to pen a nice little text to my sister. I knew she was probably in bed by now, so calling her was out of the question. I made the mistake of waking her up when I stayed with her this past summer. Never again. I learned my lesson then.

 _Just ran a runway for Yuzuha Hitachiin. There are probably going to be pictures online. I'll call you later and answer any and all questions then. X_

 **A/N: ….EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Well, that was fun. I fell quite a ways here. But unfortunately, we're saying goodbye to the Hitachiin twins. But fear not, children. If we've learned anything while this story has been a thing, it's that when one host leaves, more are always on the horizon. GOD I CAN'T WAIT FOR NEXT WEEK'S UPDATE! These damn rich kids…And Haruhi. *Haruhi's middle finger intensifies* But I love them so much. And can I be honest for a half a second? I love Lana and Yuzuha's relationship. That hits me in the warm and fuzzies like you wouldn't believe. And a nice little slap of nostalgia with the Kiss the Girl incident…? Hence why the chapter is called Kiss, Kiss the Girl. I'm a clever little bean.**

 **Now, can you guys keep a secret? Because I have a thing I need to tell someone or I'm going to burst. It's a secret about my Yuri on Ice babies. They don't know it, but I'm going to tell them at the end of their update tomorrow. So, if you also follow my Yuri on Ice fic, please. Look away or I will bite you…Are you gone? Ok. Good.**

 **Tomorrow (and it's so perfect that it HAPPENS to fall on a Wednesday!), I'm posting a one-shot for Yuri on Ice for my sweet little bean Yurio's birthday and I'm so excited. I'm so very, very excited. I started writing it last night and it's so damn cute. It's given me diabetes and I love it so much and I can't gush about it enough. Also, I think I might have said this once before, but Victor Nikiforov and Tamaki Suoh would be best friends and no one can convince me otherwise. And Yuri and Haruhi would be best friends. And Yurio would end up under Kasanoda's wing and that'd be fantastic. See you next chapter! xx**


	10. A Gift For You

**A/N: A lot of debate went into whether or not I should even post this week. I got a comment last week from someone whose name I don't even remember at this point saying that this story was bad and if I didn't stop posting to this, it was going to get reported and most likely removed. To that person, I say this. I'm sorry you didn't like my story, but here's the thing. I like my story. Not to mention, I know of a few people that would be pretty bummed if I quit posting this story. Also, this story is based on my own, personal, firsthand accounts with this kind of thing. It's practically a diary for me. If you don't like it, there are plenty others you have to choose from. Telling me to stop just because you don't like it isn't only taking it away from me, but from everyone else that does like it.**

 **That's the thing. What I write, I don't write for you specifically. I write it for myself. I share it with you. For the past couple of weeks, I've been struggling with my writing. I've been thinking that the one thing I think I'm good at, I suck something awful and should never put pen to paper again. Getting a comment like that didn't help matters. It took three men and a boy to put me back together. And to those that did, I'm forever grateful. I can never repay you guys that have been such a support system from day one. I'm sorry that you had to lash out at me like that. But if I've learned anything from my year and a half on this site, it's that I'm only one person and I can't please everybody. No one is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to read this. You're doing it of your own volition. If you don't like it, don't read it and move on. And wherever you are, I hope you're doing ok.**

 **For the rest of you, now that I'm done being a downer, my guest from Kiss, Kiss, who will eventually end up with me giving you a name. It can't be Felipe. That's my cactus. Yes. My cactus has a name. I also occasionally have full conversations with him. But you're one of the good ones. And I love how Lana's developed. We're going to see a little more development in this week's chapter that I've had churning in my brain for the past couple weeks now and I'm quite excited for it. I'm sorry I had to lay that kind of a rant on you, but for sticking it out this far with me, how about that new chapter that I know a lot of you are just as excited about it as I am?**

I missed my boys. All of them. I missed seeing them every day. Occasionally on the weekends like when Haruhi and I did the flea markets together. And of course, because Tamaki couldn't leave his girlfriend alone. One day...I'll be back in Japan. At least I hope so. London's great, but it's definitely no Tokyo.

Ring, ring.

I rolled over and grabbed my phone off my nightstand. Dammit. That's right. I texted my sister after I got back last night, "Hey, Rhi."

"Hey, Lana," Rhiannon sang, "How you doing, sweetie?"

"Not too bad," I made myself comfortable, "A little tired, but I can manage."

"We're just going to cut to the chase here," she decided, "What's with that text? Explain. You and Yuzuha?"

"Yeah," I winced, "There are pictures. If they're not online, I'll send you Hikaru and Kaoru's numbers. They'll send them to you."

"Did you actually get to meet Yuzuha?" Rhiannon asked, "Or was it just the twins?"

"I met her," I snuggled into my blankets some more, "And I want her to adopt me."

"Me, too," she sighed out, "So, she's not a stuck-up bitch like I thought she'd be?"

"Far from it," I assured, "She picked me herself. Yuzuha gives a hell of a pep talk."

"I'm so jealous!" Rhiannon squeaked, "Seriously, Lana, where do I find myself one of these host clubs that get me all the perks I could ever ask for?"

"You don't get my boys," I put my foot down, "They're my boys for a reason, Rhiannon. It's like Kyoya's brothers all over again."

"I know, I know," she settled me, "You called dibs. Speaking of beautiful boys, I want to hear about your new doctor. You wouldn't have made such a big deal about him if he wasn't."

"Funny you mention that," I buried my face in my pillows, "He's cute, Rhiannon. Married, but he's really cute."

"Good for you, honey!" Rhiannon praised, "Lucky girl. What's his name?"

"Yuuichi," I told her, "We're on a first name basis."

"He's not local," she teased, "Where's he from?"

"Tokyo," I braced myself for the nuclear bomb Rhiannon could be when she gets overly excited.

"Oh?" I piqued her interest, "Maybe you two have already met and don't even realize it."

"No," I promised, "I'd remember a face like his. And his last name. It's Ootori."

"Ootori...Ootori..." Rhiannon thought it over, "Why does that sound so familiar?"

"They're a very prominent medical group in Japan," I cringed, "And it's also the last name of my boyfriend..."

"That's where I've heard that!" she screeched, "So, relation?"

"Big time," I started thumbing through my closet. The magical e-mail of canceled class didn't come today, "Yuuichi is Kyoya's older brother."

"That must make it for an awkward session."

"Not at all," I clarified, "Talking to Yuuichi is a lot like venting to Kyoya."

"But you said he's married, huh?" Rhiannon pouted, "Damn."

"We've been over this, Rhiannon," I grumbled, "Dibs. But I understand. If you met him, you'd love him, too. He's been so wonderful to me. I don't know if it's because I'm dating his little brother or that he gets the way my brain works, but I love him to death and I'd love for him to fully replace Dr. Moreno."

"That good?" she gasped, "You finally found a doctor other than Dr. Moreno that you don't completely hate, Lana. Good for you!"

"I couldn't hate Yuuichi if I tried," I threw my uniform on my bathroom counter, "Must be something in the gene pool. He doesn't have the god complex and I love that. Unless it's an undercover god complex like Kyoya's."

"Likes to be a big fish in a little pond," Rhiannon figured, "Yeah. Exactly like Kyoya."

"I miss my little pond."

"I miss your little pond, too," she admitted, "You're not the only one that's had Tokyo change your life."

"I know," I nodded, "I have to go, Rhi. I need go get ready for class."

"Alright, sweetheart," Rhiannon let me go, "If you need anything, call."

"I will."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

Click.

As per usual, I dreaded going to class, but I still had a little bit of the buzz from playing with the twins. And on the plus side, the newly added blue in my hair wasn't staining my bathtub like I thought it would, so I had that going for me. I pulled myself together a little more and headed out.

For a few weeks, it was the same routine. Wake up to my good morning text from Kyoya, talk to Rhiannon for a while, go to class, come home, occasionally go to Yuuichi's temporary office, dinner, bed. And I was perfectly ok with that. I even had the occasional video chat with my beloved boyfriend. Life wasn't perfect, but it was good enough for me.

One morning, though, I woke up and checked my phone. Radio silent. No Kyoya text, no Rhiannon calling. Not even the seldom heard text from my mom asking if I was doing ok. But I looked at the date. November was in its last two days and it had finally hit me. Today of all days. Today was my birthday.

Last year, Kyoya and I had a mutual understanding. Neither one of us would make a big deal over it and we kept it from the host club. I didn't want to be made a fuss over. God knows Tamaki wouldn't know subtlety if it bit him in the ass. So, we kept it quiet. No presents, no cake. We pretended it didn't even happen. And I'm pretty sure we were both ok with that.

"Lana," Kelly, our room advisor, knocked on my door, "You got a delivery this morning."

"I did?" I opened my door.

"Yeah," Kelly handed me a glass vase with a beautiful floral arrangement of white and purple orchids with a few white calla lilies in it and a few sprays of baby's breath, "Lucky you. Who's sending you flowers?"

"I don't know," I dug through them and found the card inside.

Happy birthday, Lana.

Love,

Yuuichi

I don't know why I'm surprised. His brother would've done the same thing. But then again, his brother couldn't even send me his regularly scheduled good morning text. No, Lana. Don't do that. Passive aggression doesn't suit you. I set the vase on my desk and got ready for class. I'm sure I could thank Yuuichi later. Until then, I had a day of lessons ahead of me to listfully blow off and let my mind wander through.

A full day of blending into the paint on the walls. And I wanted nothing less. Although, during lunch, even though the temperatures had dropped a bit, I sat outside by my favorite tree, zoning out to the music on my phone, it had been cut short by a cheerful ringtone. Finally, Kyoya's going to talk to me. However, the chirps on the other end would prove otherwise.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Lana!" a giant puppy on espresso squeaked, "Happy birthday, princess!"

"Thank you, Tamaki," I blushed, "What are you doing, calling me so late?"

"Isn't it noon in London?" he wondered, "What do you mean, I'm calling you late?"

"You're nine hours ahead of me," I reminded him, "But I appreciate the thought. At least one of you did."

"Hey," Tamaki caught on. He might not be the brightest bulb in the bunch, but Tamaki has almost become as good as Kyoya on picking up my tells, "What's the matter, Lana?"

"It's nothing," I brushed him off, "It's just..."

"You can tell me," he assured, "What's got Daddy's little girl so down?"

"I've gotten texts all day from the boys," I told, "But I haven't heard one word from Kyoya. I'm almost kind of worried."

"It's alright," Tamaki promised, "Kyoya's probably waiting for tomorrow morning, so he can be the last one to talk to you. You know how he is."

"I know," I let out a heavy sigh, "But...It would've been nice to at least get his good morning."

"You're overthinking, Lana," he tried to cheer me up, "It's going to be fine. I'm sure Kyoya's going to call or text you eventually before you go to sleep tonight."

"Thanks, Tamaki," I smiled a bit, "I miss you guys terribly."

"We miss you, too, princess," Tamaki awed, "When do you think you'll be coming back around?"

"Well," I mulled it over, "I think I told Kyoya I could be back by graduation."

"That's too far away."

"Sister, you're telling me," I agreed, "But Kyoya told me he could be in London as soon as the end of the semester. You guys can always come see me, too, you know!"

"If we were to come see you," Tamaki pointed out, "Do you really think we'd tell you? We'd all be going and we'd surprise you on your front door."

"Actually," I stopped him, "If something like that were to happen, Kyoya would tell me. He knows how I am about surprises and he'd give me a heads up a week in advance, if not more."

"Maybe we could come surprise you in December," he decided, "We might as well get started on getting Haruhi a passport. It's not like she has one."

"It's not much of a surprise if you're telling me now," I giggled.

"If Kyoya's going to tell you anyway..."

"I have to go, Tamaki," I heard the bell ring, "I have to get back to class."

"Ok," he let me go, "Happy birthday, Lana. Don't worry about Kyoya. You're just overthinking."

"What else is new?" I joked darkly.

"Bye!"

Click.

I needed that. I didn't think talking to Tamaki would've been as much of a comfort as that was, but it was the warm blanket on a cold night I needed. Sometimes, that lovable idiot had perfect timing. He did tell me the sacred principle of the host club was that every girl would leave through the doors of the music room happy. I'm sure he was trying his best to keep that promise to me.

As the day came to an end, I decided to take a trip to the pub. Elliot loved me and I knew he'd have something sweet and yummy for me. All I wanted was a snack. Nothing too overly big. I'd stab a man for some good nachos, but those were far and few in between in this town. I took my usual seat at the end of the bar and waited for him to finish up with the ones before me.

"Lana!" Elliot caught sight of me, "Happy birthday, love!"

"Thanks, Elliot," I beamed, "You think I could get a little birthday cake?"

"Here," he already had a cupcake in a plastic container for me, "I'd do a shot with you, but I don't have the heart to get you drunk."

"Trust me," I cringed, having a flashback, "You don't want to see me drunk. That's my sister's job. Along with six of my closest friends and my boyfriend at my boyfriend's house. That was a night that got a little out of hand."

"I need to hear about this night," Elliot dug, "Tell me!"

"No," I shook him off, "Not happening. I hardly remember it. I had to have my sister give me a play by play and my boyfriend had to fill in some blanks. That was a fun night, but a rough morning."

"Alright," he let it go, "So, how are you doing, sweetheart? Good birthday so far?"

"For the most part," I nodded, "Haven't heard from my boyfriend yet, but I got a little reassurance that I probably will later, so I have that. Got a call from my sister, texts from my friends. All in all, can't complain."

"Good for you, Lana," Elliot popped me in the shoulder, "That's my girl. Wait a sec."

"What?"

"Your boyfriend," Elliot thought out loud, "The one that you said is disgustingly in love with you and you with him. He hasn't even had the decency to send a text?"

"Nothing," I shook my head, "Even his brother sent me flowers. His best friend called me during lunch. But him? Not a peep."

"Hold on," he said, "Have you checked your PO box today?"

"No," I smiled, "I'm sure he sent me something. Good call."

"There you go," Elliot always had a way with words, "Check your mail."

"Ok," I grabbed my cupcake off the bar, "I'll see you later, Elliot."

"Bye, Lana!"

I left the pub and started toward the post office. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Kyoya sent me something. I probably had presents from the whole damn host club waiting for me. When I got there, I unlocked my mailbox and pulled out a small stack of envelopes. Let's see. Card from Honey and Mori. Card from my parents. Junk mail. Card from my grandma. Card from Yuzuha. Card from the twins. Card from Haruhi...Nothing from Kyoya. What the hell? If this is his way of breaking up with me, it's a pretty poor way of doing it.

At least I had a nicely decorated cupcake to eat my feelings. I tossed my birthday cards on my dresser and the cupcake on my nightstand. I was going to tear you to shreds later. Before I threw myself onto my bed, a light blue dress was laid on the bedspread with a note. Typed, not handwritten. No signature.

Myddleton Square.

6PM

Ok...That's not unsettling. Every part of me said no, but someone went through a lot of trouble to do something like this. In all seriousness, this wouldn't surprise me if this was Yuuichi's way of setting up an appointment for me. He probably knew that today wouldn't be exactly pleasant for me and the only thing that could make it better is if his brother would answer my damn text messages.

Alright, Yuuichi. I'll play along. It's strange. My dress was almost the exact same color as the Ouran boys' uniforms. I got redressed and left for Myddleton Square. It was actually my favorite park I've ever been to. The rose garden in particular. I remember telling Kyoya about it a long time ago. It was one of my happy places aside from the aquarium. This was nice. This was something I needed. I'd be thanking Yuuichi for this later.

Ring, ring.

Well, well. Look who it finally is. Only took you all damn day, but you finally decide to call me. The passive aggressive in me wants to ignore the call, but the hopeless romantic that misses her boyfriend something fierce wants to answer it. I couldn't say no to Kyoya. It's Kyoya. I slid my finger across the screen, "Hi, Kyoya."

"Hey," his voice rumbled through me, "How was your day?"

"You know," I shrugged, "Same old, same old. Went to class, went to the pub, currently sitting by myself in a rose garden."

"Are you alright?" Kyoya asked, "You sound like you want to punch me."

"No," I bit my tongue, "Why would you say that?"

"You think I forgot what today was?" I could hear a smirk in his voice, "I'm not that heartless. Happy birthday, Lana."

"Thank you," I couldn't stay mad at him for long. Kyoya had that kind of power, "You were the only one I hadn't heard from today."

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "I didn't mean to make you worry."

"Hey," I wondered, "Why do you sound so echo-y? It's like you're in a tunnel."

Click.

"Kyoya...?"

He hung up on me...What the hell, Kyoya? What did I do to deserve that? You hang up on your girlfriend on her birthday? That's kind of a dick move. I threw my phone back in my bag and stared directly into the void of the night sky. You picked an amazing meeting place, Yuuichi. Somewhere I wouldn't be uncomfortable. Somewhere I could be completely at peace.

"First chance I get, right?" a voice spoke softly behind me, "I did promise you that much, didn't I?"

A small gasp escaped my lips and a pit opened up in my stomach. No. There's no way, "Kyoya?"

A pair of arms wrapped around my shoulders and a pair of lips pressed themselves on the top of my head, "Happy birthday, my love. You didn't think I was going to let you spend it alone, did you?"

"Kyoya?" my voice broke, the floodgates of my eyes following shortly after, "I thought you said you'd be here in December."

"I lied. I wanted to surprise you instead."

I threw myself into my boyfriend's arms and started bawling my eyes out. I couldn't believe him. This whole time I thought this elaborate setup was his brother's idea. Thankfully, I was able to cry in the shoulder I needed to cry in more than anything else. And he was going to let me, "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too, Lana," Kyoya cradled me against his chest.

"You should've told me you were coming," I scolded, "I would've been better prepared for this."

"Too bad," he kissed me deeply, sending a shock all the way to my toes, "I think five months without seeing you is a good enough reason to surprise you."

"I guess I can't fault you for that," I curled into him.

"So, my love," Kyoya took my hand, "We have an entire weekend to kill. Care to come stay with me?"

"I can't," I bit my lip, "Hell, I have to be back to my dorm by ten. The only way it'd be ok is if..."

"If what?" he worried as the lightbulb in my head turned on. This was going to be cheap and underhanded, but it was time that the hell my head gave me worked in my favor for a change.

"I need to make a quick phone call," I grinned darkly, "I know I should be ashamed of what I'm about to do, but being sick is about to give me some perks."

"That's my girl," Kyoya hugged me tight, "Any means necessary, right?"

"Exactly."

"Who are you calling?" he asked, trying to figure out my plan before I do.

"My doctor," I scrolled through my contacts.

"Dr. Moreno?"

"New doctor," I made it to the O's, "Dr. Moreno's in Wales taking care of her brother. Apparently, he's doing drugs again and refusing rehab, so..."

"Hello?"

"Hey," I walked out of earshot, "Yuuichi, I need you to do me a huge favor."

"Sure, Lana," he agreed, "What's up?"

"I need you to call my room advisor," I begged, "Tell her you're keeping me for the weekend."

"For what reason?" Yuuchi asked, "Both excuse and real reason."

"The excuse," I explained, "I had a bad episode and need to be kept under watch for a few days, just to make sure I'm going to be ok."

"And the real reason?"

"My boyfriend's in town," I beamed, still not a hundred percent sure this was actually happening, "And I haven't seen him in five months. I have all intentions of spending every last minute with him."

"So, you need your doctor's note," he figured, "Sure, Lana. I can do that. That's no problem."

"Yuuichi, I love you," I sighed out, "You are a life saver."

"Didn't spend seven years in med school for no reason," Yuuichi teased, "I'll call her now. Could you text me the number?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I'll send it to you right now. Really, Yuuichi. I can't thank you enough."

"Lana," he stopped me, "You're on the brink of spiraling again. Don't do that. Go spend some quality time with Kyoya. God knows you both probably need it."

I texted Yuuichi the number and threw my phone back in my bag. He was right. If there was one thing Kyoya and I mutually needed, it was definitely each other. And I fell back into the warm, loving embrace of my boyfriend's arms. Yes. This was sorely needed. I've needed this for so long.

"Is everything alright?" Kyoya asked.

"Fine," I assured, "My doctor's going to keep me under observation for the weekend."

"Lana," he scolded, "Do you know how dirty that is?"

"I've been iffy in the mental department since I was ten years old," I pointed out, "It's about time I took advantage a little. It's going to keep me out of my dorm for a few days. You think I could crash with you?"

"Of course," Kyoya kissed the top of my head, "Now, my love. We have the rest of the night to kill. How would you like to spend it?"

I've had a long day. All I wanted to do was go to bed, but I had a reinvigorated energy coursing through me. Even if I wanted to sleep, there was no way that was happening, "Takeaway, crappy movies, your hotel room?"

"It'd be my pleasure," he pulled me to his hip, "Where is dinner coming from?"

"Ideally?" I thought it over, "The kitchen of your cabin in Karuizawa, but unfortunately, we can't get what we want."

"What about that pub you love so much?" Kyoya suggested, "I know nothing of the layout of London, Lana. This is completely on you."

"If I take you to the pub on a Friday night," I chuckled, "You'd get mauled. Either by women or by Elliot."

"Who's Elliot?" he wondered.

"He's the guy that owns the place," I explained, "I told him your lamb was better than his and he kind of wants to jump you for your recipe."

"Not happening," Kyoya assured, "You have a sensitive palate and a good sense of smell. You guessed what I used. You're the only person that knows and it's going to stay that way."

"Can we get lamb from the pub anyway?" I asked meekly, "For nostalgic purposes?"

"That's fine," he allowed. And the two of us began our trek through London. For the first time in a long time, I had a reason to genuinely enjoy the weekend. No worries. No dorm. Just Kyoya and me. Where did I have room to complain? I could say this with absolute certainty. Life was good.

 **A/N: I missed Kyoya. I missed Kyoya terribly. I was done screwing around with phone calls and text messages and dream sequences. I needed this boy in the flesh. And here we are. Lana and Kyoya left unattended for the weekend in London. It'd be like Karuizawa, but not as good. But now, they're on their way to the pub. Elliot's going to meet Kyoya. Elliot is kind of like a father figure to Lana. He's protective of her. See you next chapter. xx**


	11. Birthday Cakes or Welsh Cakes

**A/N: Before we go any further, there are a few things I need to get off my chest. First of all, I love you guys. You're so sweet. The outpouring of support I always get from you guys never ceases to amaze me. Speaking of how wonderful you all are…There are a couple of you that I need to take over my knee because you made me openly weep.**

 **First of all, to a wonderful, wonderful user we all know and love (or at least we should) called havarti2. Why did this asshole make me emotional or how, is a better question? Well, my dear children, there is something on her profile that's simply titled Luminous. And if you haven't read it yet, you should. Because it's a lovely piece of poetry based on Lana and Kyoya's relationship and it's so cute and so sweet and it made me openly cry. Therefore, she's an asshole, but I love her all the same. And if you follow me on Tumblr, I did a little doodling a few days after she posted that to accompany it and it's currently in the front of my binder where I keep track of my word counts. And every time I see it, I smile inside. If you want to see my drawing, my Tumblr URL is on my profile in the social section. However, before you go and look at my doodles, go give havarti2 some love, because she's too much and I love her. She gave me my first fanwork…:3**

 **But along that same vein, though! Another user that gets a virtual hug and cookie from me is a user named the one that gave me my FIRST FAN ART! I shit you not, earlier in the day before I got it, I was complaining to my mom about a Yuri on Ice fic (that has completely ruined my life and hasn't had an update in a month and I need more of it like I need air. I'm sorry that I make you guys wait a week because this is hell.) and how it's been up as long as all of the fics I started this year and already has 20K+ hits on it and it's got ubes of Tumblr buzz and fan art coming out the ass and how all of mine is lucky if it's gone over the thousand mark. But when SOMEBODY decided to send me a message here asking for an exact description of what Lana and Kyoya's reunion looked like, then one on Tumblr asking about something she drew (that is now currently my computer's lock screen and my phone's lock screen because I'm a proud parent that wants to hang one of her babies' artwork on her fridge), I gushed and squealed and wept openly again. And this was maybe a day after havarti posted Luminous? So, I was feeling some love. You guys! Feel free to do more of this! You want to give me fan art? I'M NOT GOING TO STOP YOU! That's one of those things that makes my day and I will share the hell out of it! These two have been the real MVPs this past week and deserve all the love in the world.**

 **Now, what kind of AN would this be if I didn't bring up the guest from Kiss, Kiss. First of all, never apologize for language here. I don't. I got the face of an angel and the mouth of a sailor. That's not a problem with me. But I love you, too. You always say such nice things and a lot of times, they're the kinds of things I need to hear and when I need to hear them. So, you get a virtual hug, too. Especially because of the heart attack I gave you with Lana and Kyoya. Please. Those two have such a beautiful codependence. You really think I'm splitting them up? It's bad enough they're on separate continents. They're making it work, though. And he's right there. And I'm being an asshole by keeping you here and keeping him out of reach, so before I get too gushy, I'm going to let you guys read, ok? Is that good for you? Because Kyoya's meeting Elliot in this chapter and I'm sure we're going to have a hoot of a time with that, aren't we?**

Ding!

I might not have been too big on crowds, but I like the feeling the pub had on a Friday night. It had such a homey atmosphere and I loved it. And tonight was even better. I was freshly seventeen. I have my boyfriend on my arm. All was right with the world. The two of us took a seat at the end of the bar.

"It's strange," Kyoya held my hand, "I've never been in a pub before. I always thought my first time would've been with my oldest brother. Although, I'm quite glad it's with you."

"Me, too," I rested my head on his shoulder, "I did my first bar with Rhiannon. Some hole in the wall in Queens, if I remember correctly."

"Oi, Lana," Elliot slid to our end of the bar, "I see someone has a type."

"Did you bring Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai in here, too?" Kyoya assumed.

"Sure," I glared a hole through Elliot. Kyoya didn't know Yuuichi was my new doctor. He didn't need to know that quite yet. I don't think he even knew his brother was in London.

"So," Elliot got my lemonade for me, "Really, Lana. Who's your friend?"

"Friend?" Kyoya chuckled, "I'd say we're a little more than that."

"This is Elliot," I introduced, anticipating the bombshell this was going to be, "He owns the place. Elliot, this is my boyfriend, Kyoya."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, mate." All of a sudden the tumblers fell into place and everything in Elliot's head clicked, "Hold on...Kyoya? Is this that Kyoya?"

"Yeah," I bit my lip, "He's that Kyoya."

"Kitchen," Elliot demanded, opening the door to the back of the bar.

"Why?" Kyoya turned skeptical.

"Now," he grabbed my boyfriend's wrist, dragging him into the kitchen.

"Elliot!" I followed them, "What the hell are you doing?"

"You know what I want," Elliot blew me off, staring dead into Kyoya's eyes.

"For me to not press assault charges, I'm guessing?" Kyoya figured.

"That, too," he settled down a little, "No. Rumor has it you make a braised lamb better than mine."

"That's what I've heard," Kyoya sat down.

"Now that we've gotten that out of the way," Elliot joined him, "What do you do?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your braised lamb," Elliot elaborated, "What do you do to it? I need measurements, recipes, cooking instructions, the whole nine."

"I'm sorry," Kyoya pulled me onto his lap, "I'm not sharing my recipe. The way to this girl's heart is through her stomach and I don't mean that in any derogatory sense, Lana. You're a girl with a refined and sensitive palate and I love you for it. But that's one of those things holding our relationship together."

"Kyoya," I gave him a light swat, "You know better than that."

"I know," he kissed my cheek, "You're not getting my recipe, Elliot. It's just not happening."

"If you tell me," Elliot bargained, playing dirty, "I'll give you my blessing."

"For what?" I wondered.

"Your hand, Lana," Kyoya's embrace tightened around me.

"What?" my stomach knotted up. What the hell...? Why would they be talking about my hand already? Kyoya and I have been together for quite some time now. I know that much, but for us to get married now? We've never talked about it before. I mean, I had that dream once. Nowhere in Kyoya's proposal in my dream did he mention Elliot. He talked to Tamaki and Rhiannon and Ranka, but never Elliot. Sure, I did see Elliot as more of a father than my own, but still. He's not going to propose to me now, is he? I didn't feel a box in any of his pockets.

I'm overthinking. I'm overthinking about how I'm overthinking. Don't start hyperventilating. Don't start hyperventilating. It's fine. It's fine. It's fine. Everything's going to be ok. Relax, Lana. Undo that knot in your stomach. They're just talking about Kyoya's lamb recipe.

"I'm not proposing to you, Lana," Kyoya settled me, sensing something wasn't right with me, "Not yet anyway. Besides, I thought that was one of those things I'd have to ask her father about."

"No, no, no," I stopped him, "You've met my father. I love you. You don't deserve that, Kyoya. If you're looking for anyone to ask permission to, I'd rather you ask Elliot. Or Rhiannon, if you're looking for someone I share blood with. But Elliot's just as much family to me as anyone else."

"Would you put him on the same level as the host club?" he asked.

"No," I shook my head, "I've known Elliot longer than the boys. They're just barely a step under him."

"Lana, you're going to make me cry," Elliot gushed, "What the hell's a host club?"

"It's a group of beautiful boys that basically flirt with girls for a while," I gave him the short version of the company line, "But it's all completely platonic. They hold a very special place in my heart."

"I'd say you're an unofficial member," Kyoya assumed, "I'm sure Tamaki would be ok with that."

"You can't go over his head?"

"I'm only the vice president, Lana," he chuckled a bit, "I'm not going over Tamaki's head. Plant subtle, subliminal messages, sure. Go over his head? No."

"Hang on," Elliot caught up, "You're the vice president of a club that all you do is hit on girls?"

"It's actually a great service," I hushed him, "If it weren't for the host club, I never would've met Kyoya or any of my friends in Japan. That host club is a family in itself, Elliot. It's not just them flirting for a couple hours after school. Every girl that walks into the host club ends up walking out happy."

"Wow, Lana," Kyoya nuzzled his face in my shoulder blade, "We really should have you as our one man PR team."

"Minus the public part," I teased, "No, thank you."

"Getting back to the main reason you're here," Elliot brought it in, "You're not going to give me your recipe, are you?"

"No," Kyoya shook his head, "That's not going to happen."

"Damn," he grumbled, "Well, while you're in town, will you at least make it?"

"I'm sure I will while I'm here," Kyoya figured, "You wouldn't mind if I used your kitchen, would you, Elliot?"

"On one condition..."

"Let me guess..."

"I'll let you use my kitchen," Elliot bargained, "for your recipe."

"Well," Kyoya thought it over, "You would be in the kitchen while I made it. I guess that wouldn't be directly telling you, would it?"

"No," Elliot got a big ass grin on his face, "Alright, Kyoya. You have my permission for my baby's hand."

"Elliot!" I squeaked.

"Sorry, love," he shut up, "You know you're my girl, though, right?"

"Of course I do," I blushed a little.

"Now," Elliot got up, "What should I be getting you, Kyoya?"

"I can take care of getting what I need," Kyoya assured, "Although, do you have any red wine?"

"I run a pub," he gave him a look, "What do you think?"

"Alright," Kyoya gave me a nudge, "So? Tomorrow night? You and me?"

"Is that a promise?" I asked.

"A certainty."

"Ok," I nodded, "I'm pretty sure my schedule's wide open."

"Good," Kyoya stole a quick kiss while I got off his lap.

"Right then," Elliot broke us up, "So, Lana? Two orders of your usual?"

"Actually," I corrected, "Half a dozen Welsh cakes and an order of chips would hit the spot right now."

"God, you sound like my sister," he laughed as the three of us went back to the bar and he called in my order, "She's three months."

"Congratulations!" I beamed.

"Now, I know you're not pregnant," Elliot glared into Kyoya's soul, "Right?"

"I haven't been near her in five months," Kyoya assured, "I'm sure she's not pregnant. Lana's not exactly the type to sleep around."

"God no," I shook my head violently, damn near giving myself whiplash, "I love you, Kyoya. I don't want to screw that up."

"I love you, too, koibito," he settled me.

"So, you're not pregnant," Elliot thought out loud, "Stressed? Eating your feelings?"

"I still have a fairy cake in my mini fridge from you," I pointed out, "I almost ate my feelings, but someone decided to call me and surprise the hell out of me in the rose garden."

"You're welcome," Kyoya chimed, warming my little heart.

"I'm the exact opposite of stressed," I promised, "I'm perfectly content with the world. I got my sugary treats. I got my man. No worries."

"Good to know," Elliot praised, blissfully unaware of the dark cloud that's always looming over my head, but I'll be fine. If anything does go wrong, I'd have Kyoya to help me through it. I was going to be ok. Especially when my order came through that window, "Well, sweetheart, it was good seeing your pretty face again. And Kyoya, it was good meeting you."

"You, too," Kyoya agreed politely, "Meeting you, Elliot, was much better than meeting her father."

"I feel your pain," Elliot cringed, "Lana's old man doesn't try imitating your accent horrendously."

"No," Kyoya winced, "Only butchered my name and yelled at us for speaking my native language, so he wouldn't understand what we were saying."

"Again," I wrapped my arms around his waist, "I'm sorry for that. You didn't have to stay."

"And leave you alone?" he pressed his lips on the top of my head, "You know better than that, Lana. You weren't in a good place and I wasn't leaving your side until you were again."

"Lana," Elliot smiled a little, "Hold onto this one."

"My pleasure," I cuddled into my boyfriend's ribs while he grabbed our food and the two of us were out the door.

Of course, because Kyoya's Kyoya, there's no way he was staying somewhere simple. He and I got back to his ridiculously over the top luxury hotel and immediately went to the bed. This was all I wanted for my birthday. A nice hotel and to get fat and happy with my boyfriend. Was that too much? Of course not. I deserved this. For however long we had, I'd have my moment of pure, innocent bliss.

Ring, ring.

Even if it wasn't as long as what I had hoped for.

"Is that you or me?" I murmured into Kyoya's ribs, not wanting to move at all. His embrace was so warm and so perfect and so horribly missed.

"That's me," he stretched over my shoulders, grabbing his phone off the nightstand, putting it on speakerphone and putting another French fry in my mouth, "What, Tamaki?"

"Where are you?" Tamaki whined, "We were all going to go out today. When we got to your house, the maid said you weren't home."

"I had more pressing matters to attend to," Kyoya continued feeding me, "Priorities."

"More pressing than us?" he pouted.

"Much more pressing," Kyoya's free arm went back around me, giving me a look. Almost as if he were asking my permission.

"Hi, Tamaki!" I chirped.

"Hold on," he thought for a minute, "Lana?"

"Who else would it be?" I giggled, "Of course it's me."

"Lana!" Tamaki squealed, "Are you back in Japan?"

"No," I sighed out, "Unfortunately."

"I'm in London, Tamaki," Kyoya grumbled, completely done with his best friend, "I'm sorry, but I can't go out with you guys tonight."

"Now, if you don't mind," I chimed in, "I'd like to go back to spending the rest of my birthday with my boyfriend. Is that ok with you?"

"Go ahead," Tamaki let us go, "What did I tell you, Lana? Kyoya would be the last one to talk to you on your birthday."

"Yes," I smiled, "You were right. Thank you, Tamaki."

"Bye!"

Click.

"He's an idiot," Kyoya threw his phone back on the nightstand.

"But he's our idiot," I reminded him.

"By the way," he looked down at me, "When did you talk to Tamaki?"

"At lunch today," I told, taking one of the berries from the Welsh cakes (Elliot knew better than to make them with raspberries, so I got blackberries and blueberries instead.), "He called me to say happy birthday and kind of talked me down from being pissed off at you."

"I would've called you sooner, Lana," Kyoya poked at me, "But I was on a flight all day. I barely had my luggage in my room before I went to your dorm. I've been in London for maybe a total of three hours and I've spent most of it with you."

"Worth it," I clung to him, "Wouldn't you say so?"

"Definitely," he gave me a slow, soft kiss, "Happy birthday, Lana."

"Thank you," I laid my head on his chest.

"I know I'm probably enough," Kyoya slid me off him, reaching over the other side of the bed, "But you know I couldn't show up empty handed."

When he came back to me, Kyoya handed me a shallow, white box about the size of my phone. Not an engagement ring, "What's this for?"

"Again," he smiled a bit, "I'm not showing up empty handed. I did a little shopping a couple days ago with my sister and got you a birthday present."

"Kyoya..."

"Open it."

I cracked the lid of the box and nearly fell to pieces. In the box was a dainty silver chain with a brilliantly shining sapphire pendant surrounded by tiny diamonds, "Kyoya...This is gorgeous. Are those real?!"

"Yeah," Kyoya nodded, "Why wouldn't they?"

"This is too much," I shut it.

"No," he shut me up, taking the necklace out of the box and stringing it on my neck, "Let me spoil you, Lana. I can do that kind of thing."

I wrapped my legs around Kyoya's waist, kissing him deeply, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he nuzzled his face in my neck, "Damn, Lana, I missed you."

"I love you," I swallowed hard, trying to suppress the lump in my throat."

"Aishiteru," Kyoya whispered to me, "Now, jetlag is killing me. Would you care to join me?"

"I'd love to."

I was going to sleep like a rock tonight. I was still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I had Kyoya here with me. As far as birthdays go, I'm going to have to say this one is the best. Better than my ninth (We went to Chicago for the weekend and I got to see the Sound of Music onstage.) and definitely better than my tenth (I got my diagnosis the next day.). But I was in one of my favorite cities in the world with my favorite person in the world. And I had him for the weekend. I had zero room to complain.

 **A/N: Kyoya cuddles are the best cuddles, would you tend to agree? Now, I really can't wait for Kyoya to cook in Elliot's kitchen. I have a feeling that's going to lead to some very precious moments. I'll see you next chapter! xx**


	12. Someone's in the Kitchen with Senpai

What the hell...? I felt a tickle on my right wrist. I wasn't totally sure where I was, but this twinge felt familiar. I knew this. When I opened my eyes a little, I noticed one hand holding my arm and the other had a green permanent marker in it, tracing leaves and darker vines on my skin. They twisted around my arm and up to my shoulder. My god, I looked like Poison Ivy. I'm just glad he didn't pick my left arm...

"Do me a favor," I nuzzled my face in my boyfriend's ribs, "Promise me you'll never wake up after me."

"I promise," Kyoya kissed my forehead, "Good morning."

"Morning," I melted, "What are you working on?"

"Just some vines," he kept on, "Maybe some hibiscus blossoms, if I'm feeling ambitious."

"It's beautiful," I awed, perfectly content with my current position. It's been an eternity since I got to wake up to this. I forgot what it felt like. Just Kyoya and me, spending the morning together. And I couldn't be happier.

"Of course it is, Lana," Kyoya's ego showed up, "When have I ever drawn on you and it was bad?"

"You can't just take the damn compliment?" I giggled.

"You're moving around too much," he scolded, "I could make you stay more still for me, but I have a feeling it wouldn't exactly be a good thing for you."

"Thank you," I knew exactly what he was thinking. In my time in the hospital, I never had to be restrained, but I still didn't want to go through that.

"So, my love," Kyoya lightened the mood a little more, "It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining. Your arms are beautiful. What should we do today?"

"I don't know," I laid my head on his chest, "What are we doing today?"

"I know absolutely nothing about London," he added the veins in the leaves, "This is entirely up to you. Will you show me the town you love so very much?"

"I'd be more than happy to," I yawned, "Where would you like to go first?"

"I want to see anywhere that has significant meaning to you," he suggested, "Make me fall in love with London so hard that I'll never want to leave. If anyone can handle such a daunting task, it's you."

"Ok," I blushed, "There are so many places, though, Kyoya..."

"Just as long as we end up at the pub around five," Kyoya thought out loud, "You did say that your braised lamb was a Sunday staple while you lived here, right?"

"Yeah," I mentioned it once, ONCE, in passing, "Does that mean I'm going to get your braised lamb again?"

"I did promise you," he pushed my hair out of my face, "You know...It suits you."

"What suits me?"

"The color," Kyoya hid a smile from me, "I hate to say this, but Hikaru and Kaoru knew what they were doing for a change. My Ariel..."

"My Eric," I cuddled into him, "I missed you, Kyoya. I missed you so much."

"And I didn't miss you?" he nudged me, "You need to come home, Lana."

I know I've gotten it from everyone since I've been back in London. Honey, Mori, the twins...I thought I'd be desensitized to it by now. Kyoya saying it made it hurt worse than anything. I shut my eyes tight, hoping that would suffocate the thought of tears coming out, "I know. And I want to come home, Kyoya. I really do. More than anything. But for now, can we hold out until December when we can do this for longer than the weekend? Just appreciate the time we have now?"

"Hey," Kyoya lifted my head up, running his thumb under my eye, "What brought this on?"

"You know I love living in London," I shivered in his embrace, "Absolutely love it here. But in these past few months, I hate it. I hate this town. The people I knew have only gotten worse. It's gotten louder. Everything has been under my skin. I damn near stepped in front of a bus! I haven't had a thought like that in so long. You know what I've done since I've been here. When I was living in Tokyo, I was ok. For the first time in a long time, I was more than just content. I was actually happy."

"I wonder why that was," he ran his fingers up my arm, "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"If you had the opportunity to go back to Japan," Kyoya asked, "Back to Tokyo, back to Ouran, would you do it?"

"In a heartbeat," I nodded, "But we've had that talk, Kyoya. You're not paying my tuition."

"I know," he promised, "I'm not going to pay your tuition."

"And none of the others either," I shoved my finger in his face, "And Rhiannon's not putting her shop on hold."

"Last time I talked to Rhiannon," Kyoya told, "I think she already had investors lined up."

"Wait," I sat up, "You talk to my sister?"

"On a semi-regular basis," he nodded, "I can't be friends with your sister? I wouldn't have a problem if you were friends with mine."

"I've never met your sister," I pointed out.

"And I'm heavily in love with her little sister," Kyoya went on, "Of course, I keep in touch with her. There's nothing wrong with the two most positive forces in your life coming together, Lana. If I knew your good doctor, I'm sure we'd be in regular contact, too."

I bit my tongue so hard I could probably put a stud through it. He does know my good doctor. He doesn't know that, but that's a bombshell for another day, "I had to get a new doctor."

"When did this happen?" he threw his markers on the nightstand.

"Dr. Moreno's in Wales right now," I explained, "Her brother had a relapse and he was refusing treatment, so a friend of hers is filling in."

"And have you considered strangling your new doctor yet?"

"No," I giggled, "He's a good doctor. Talking to him feels a lot like talking to you."

"And you haven't thought about strangling him?" Kyoya teased.

"I've never thought of strangling you either!" I squeaked, "Punching you, yes. I thought you had completely abandoned me. And you hung up on me. On my birthday! That's kind of a bad move."

"But I was there, wasn't I?" he peeled me off him, "We can't spend all day in bed, Lana. As nice as it sounds. If we were in my neighborhood, I wouldn't think twice, but I've never been to London and I still want to see the city."

"Understandable," I rolled over to check my phone out of habit. I didn't even need the good morning text. He had just turned the shower on. Although, I did get one from Tamaki asking if I was doing ok. Do I leave him hanging or do I give him a full report?

 _I'm good, Tamaki. Kyoya knows how to take care of me._

 _LS_

My boys were so concerned. I loved it. I had at least eight people that wanted to know if I was ok around the clock...around the world even. And that's not even counting my new adoptive mother. Or Ranka. Or Misuzu. Or Elliot. Or Yuuichi. Anyone that'd be willing to take a bullet for me. Granted, I still didn't think I was worth that kind of trouble, but it was nice to know I had that kind of love.

Beep!

"Lana?" Kyoya chimed from the bathroom, "Is that you or me?"

"Me," I slid my finger across my phone screen. And I could hear Tamaki's voice in my head.

 _He's not being weird with Daddy's little princess, is he?_

 _TS_

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at this precious little moron, "Who is it? Rhiannon, I'm assuming?"

"No," I tapped on the screen, "Tamaki."

 _I'm fine. I promise._

 _LS_

"What's he want?"

"Just checking in," I dug in my bag for my medication and swallowed it all in one gulp.

"He always did worry about you," the water turned off, "If we weren't together and he wasn't so sickeningly in love with Haruhi, I could see you and Tamaki together."

"Really?" I wondered, "If something were to happen to you, would you will me to him?"

"If we're speaking in complete hypotheticals here," Kyoya thought it over, "First of all, I wouldn't be willing you to anyone. You can make your own decisions, but something tells me you wouldn't remarry."

"I peak with you, baby," I got out of bed, "I wouldn't remarry."

"But if I had to will you to someone," he went on, "I'd probably will you to Mori-senpai."

"I'm sure a lot of other people would, too," I agreed, "But Mori, not Tamaki?"

"If I want to make sure you are taken care of," Kyoya came out of the bathroom, completely dressed, pulling me against his chest, "As much as Tamaki is my best friend somehow, I have a feeling he wouldn't be able to handle some of your problems as well as what Mori-senpai would."

"It's true," I started to think it over, "Mori knows a lot more about me than what Tamaki does. He was the first one to know I even had problems in the first place."

"Other than me," Kyoya shrugged, "But I do know everything, don't I?"

"Nothing gets past you," I gave him a quick kiss, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to spend the day with my loving boyfriend who isn't going anywhere. Is that alright with you?"

"That's fine by me," he let me go, "But I'm going to get tea. What do you want?"

"Earl grey," I yelled from the bathroom.

"Earl grey, not jasmine?" Kyoya wondered.

"Earl grey is morning tea," I clarified, "Jasmine is afternoon tea."

"Forgive my ignornance," he chuckled a bit to himself, "But still honey?"

"Yes, dear," I felt like an idiot, but I laughed at my own joke, "Honey over sugar. Every time. Unless I'm baking, but that's a textural thing."

"I'll be right back," Kyoya shut the door behind him and I got in the shower. Have I ever mentioned how I have the best boyfriend in the world? Because I think I do. Although, that jasmine tea sounded really good right now. I needed the earl grey, though. Better than coffee, but if I were to say that around Rhiannon, she'd hit me.

I let the warm water take over and got myself clean. I'm sure Kyoya probably left to my place last night after I fell asleep to get me some clean clothes. It really wouldn't surprise me. Sure enough, when I stood in front of the closet of our room in my towel, I had two full outfits hanging in front of me. Oh, Kyoya. You never fail to amaze me. Honestly, I shouldn't even be surprised, but I had to admit it was a nice gesture.

I took out a light pink dress that looked like something Yuzuha would've given me and got dressed for the day. Back to looking like a Disney princess. I did a few spins in my dress, watching the skirt billow out from under me. I felt like I was five, but I loved it. I had no complaints. After the seventh or eighth spin, I started getting dizzy and fell onto the bed. That was too much fun.

"You're so adorable, Lana," Kyoya had come back in with two cups in his hands.

"How long have you been standing there?" I felt the heat rising in my face.

"I came in on the third spin," he handed me my tea, "I didn't have the heart to stop you. You looked like you were enjoying yourself."

"I was," I let the first drink cleanse my soul, "Sorry."

"Don't apologize," he hushed me, "Are you ready?"

"Just about," I went back into the bathroom and got myself a little less disgusting to look at.

Before I knew it, the two of us were out and about in London town. When I was still living in Tokyo, I used to fantasize about this moment. Kyoya and me wandering aimlessly through London. Compared to my fantasy, this was almost lackluster. When I thought of us like this, I imagined a night stroll through the park by my dorm. Depending on the time of year, maybe some ice skating, but it hadn't gotten cold enough for the ponds to freeze over yet. But this didn't feel right. And I knew exactly why.

We were in the wrong city. I was perfectly happy here, but something didn't feel right. This wasn't Tokyo. This wasn't where we were supposed to be. Maybe if I get to somewhere I knew and loved. Somewhere that would make me feel much more at ease. Kyoya did say I was his mermaid, didn't he? What good is a mermaid if she's not surrounded by her undersea friends?

All the beautiful creatures swimming along without a single thought of existential dread. I bet they missed their homes, too. Most of the jellyfish didn't even come from here. They lived in warmer waters. The moon jellyfish came from Japan. As I pressed my hand against the glass of the moon jelly tank, a wave of harsh melancholy washed over me. I knew exactly how you felt, little guy. I'm in the wrong tank, too. We both need to get back to Japan, don't we?

"Lana?" Kyoya took notice, "What's the matter?"

"What do you mean?" my voice broke, "I'm fine."

"You're usually not this depressed around the jellyfish," he pulled me onto my feet, "Don't tell me you're fine. I know better."

"It's nothing," I brushed him off, "I'm ok. Just a weird train of thought."

"Alright," Kyoya held me against his hip, "Do you want to stay a little while longer or would you like to start heading to the pub?"

"Let's go to the pub," I wiped my eyes, "If we stay any longer, I'm afraid I'll make more comparisons and I don't think I can do that anymore."

I wanted to stay with the jellyfish, but I couldn't. The crushing weight on my heart was going to kill me and I needed a trip to the pub. I knew Elliot wouldn't serve me, but I'd be ok. That was usually Rhiannon's method of painkilling. I got prescriptions for that kind of thing. Unfortunately, the meds weren't kicking in as nicely as what I wished they would. They didn't prevent the inevitable sadness that was bubbling inside me.

"Lana!" Elliot chimed, "Kyoya! So nice to see you both in here!"

"Elliot," Kyoya asked, "Could you be so kind and keep an eye on Lana for me?"

"Sure," he nodded.

"Wait a minute," I took his hand, not ever wanting to let go, "Where are you going?"

"I have to go pick up a few things," Kyoya settled me, "Don't worry. I'll be right back. You're exhausted, Lana. I can see it all over your face. Stay here. I promise you I shouldn't be gone more than maybe twenty minutes."

"Are you..." I kept my fingers crossed, "Are you making my lamb?"

"Of course," he cradled my cheek in the palm of his hand, "I told you I would and I will be right back."

"Ok," I let him go.

"Oi, Kyoya!" Elliot called out.

"What?"

"Get enough for the whole pub," he assured, "And we usually have a packed house on Sunday nights. Just to give you an idea."

"Ok," Kyoya gave me a kiss and left me at the bar with Elliot. He made an excellent point. That little depression spell at the aquarium took more out of me than I thought it did. My body felt heavier and I kind of wanted a nap.

"Lana," Elliot put my lemonade in front of me, "You need to marry that boy."

"Hold on," I snapped back in my head, "What? Where the hell did that come from? Why do you say that?"

"Because," Elliot explained, "You just do. He's so good for you, love. He makes you ok."

"More than you know," I smiled.

"Lana!" he scolded, "That's more information than I need to know. You're like the daughter I never had. I don't need to hear about that."

"It's not like that," I clarified, "All of the problems I have, Kyoya knows how to handle them. Every single one. I get anxious? He knows how to calm me down. I get really depressed? He knows how to talk me down from the ledge. He just gets me, Elliot. He's my entire world and I don't want that to go away. I don't think we're getting married quite yet, but maybe one day. We'll play it by ear."

"Good," Elliot praised, "Because if I can't take care of you, I need to know there's someone that can."

"Trust me," I assured, "I have a whole group of boys that know how to take care of me when I need it. I don't know if they even realize when they're doing it. But they know exactly how to take care of me."

"It's that host club, isn't it?" he figured, "They really do more than just hit on girls for a while."

"They're the best thing to ever happen to me," I nodded, "They're all I need in life and I never want that family to break apart."

"Highly unlikely," Kyoya came up behind me with three bags in his hand, planting a soft kiss just under my ear, making me blush almost instantly, "And we love you, too."

"Did you know he was standing there?" I glared at Elliot.

"Just for the last bit," he grinned, "Sorry."

"You're a jerk," I growled, spinning around to my boyfriend, "But you aren't."

"I just have good timing," Kyoya poked at me, "So? Kitchen?"

"Back here," Elliot chirped, "I got my best red if you need it."

"No, no, no," Kyoya shook his head, "Cheap stuff."

"Really?" Elliot gasped, "Cheap stuff, not the good stuff?"

"Drink the good stuff," Kyoya pushed through the double doors to the kitchen, "Cook with the cheap stuff. Lana, if you could assist me please..."

"I'd love to," I beamed, "What do you want me to do?"

"Can you handle yourself around a knife?" he worried.

"Yes," I melted at his consideration, "I'll be fine."

"There's a good handful of herbs in one of the bags," Kyoya directed me, "If you could cut those very finely."

"Ok," I dug around in the plastic bags for the fresh herbs that smelled absolutely fantastic and threw them on the cutting board. Fortunately, one of those perks that comes with knowing the owner of this place, I know this kitchen like the back of my hand. I've cooked a few times back here. This has become a sanctuary for me.

"And Lana?"

"Yeah, baby," I ran the knife through the fresh basil.

"Just so you can have some sort of mental preparation for this," he told me, "We're going to be back here tomorrow night."

"I kind of figured," I sang, "This does have to sit overnight, right?"

"That's right," Kyoya hid a smile from me, "I love when you listen."

"It was Karuizawa, Kyoya," I giggled, "Of course I'd remember that. That's one of those trips that's permanently embedded in my memories. I don't want to forget that. Hell, when I get too bad, I think back to our time in Karuizawa."

"Me, too," he admitted, "That was a good trip."

"Minus my nightmares," I brushed it off, "But I need Karuizawa again."

"One day," Kyoya promised, "Next time you're back in Japan."

"What happened in Karuizawa?" Elliot asked. I almost forgot he was there. I was so perfectly zoned out. Something weirdly theraputic in cutting herbs.

"My parents had come to visit unannounced," I recalled, "And Kyoya knew I needed some time out of the city, so he brought me to a resort town three hours out of Tokyo."

"And you wonder why I say you should marry him," he gave me a nudge.

"It wasn't entirely for you, Lana," Kyoya admitted, "Karuizawa was with you in mind, but I needed to get out of town for a weekend, too. Dealing with your parents wasn't exactly the most pleasant of experiences."

"Can we talk about something else now?" I cringed, "I'm getting 'nam flashbacks."

"Lana," Elliot pointed out, "You weren't even a thought when the Vietnam War happened."

"Figure of speech!" I snapped, "Can we just...not?"

"Alright," Kyoya handed me the bottle of wine with the cork already out of it, "It doesn't matter if it's the cheap stuff or not, it still drinks the same."

"Have I told you lately I love you?" I asked, taking a good, heavy drink from the bottle.

"Oi!" Elliot stopped me, "No! Not in my pub."

"Come on, Elliot," I whined, "You know how bad they can be. Tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing."

"It's legal for me to do it," he gave my nose a little swat, "Not in my pub."

"Fine," I pouted. It didn't really matter. I still had a good drink in my body. That might have been the cheap stuff, but it wasn't half bad. I watched as Kyoya poured the rest of it into a saucepan. Good night, sweet prince. You will be missed.

"What are you doing that for?" Elliot asked, peering over his shoulder.

"Cooking all the alcohol out of it," Kyoya explained his process, pushing all of the herbs I cut for him into the pan, "The wine is going to marry everything and it's going to blend together perfectly."

"The wine is such a slut," Elliot joked, laughing at himself.

"Lana," Kyoya wrapped his arms around me, "Why couldn't I have met Elliot first? Why couldn't you have passed him off as your dad? He's so much better."

"Same reason why I couldn't introduce you to Yuzuha first," I shrugged, "Because I had no idea they were coming!"

"Well," he grabbed the lamb out of the other bag and dropped it into the marinade, "We should be back here in, oh, say...eighteen hours? You did say this was a Sunday tradition, right, Lana?"

"Of course," I nuzzled my face in his chest.

"And you'll help me, right?"

"Duh."

"Come on," Kyoya took my hand, "We should be getting back before someone realizes you're not where you should be."

"What?" Elliot's radar went off.

"Well," I bit my tongue, "I kind of called my doctor last night to get the weekend out of my dorm, so I can spend it all with Kyoya."

"Was your doctor the guy you were in here with the other day?" he figured.

"Yeah," I confirmed, wrapping myself around Kyoya's arm, "Shall we?"

"We shall," Kyoya kissed the top of my head.

"Bye, Elliot!" I waved behind us.

"Bye, sweetheart," Elliot sent us off and we headed back to Kyoya's hotel. Almost immediately, I crashed on the bed and fell straight to sleep. It had felt like we were all over hell today. I needed to go to sleep. And with Kyoya, it didn't take much. I hated that this was going to end soon. I didn't want him to go. I wanted him to move to London and stay here with me. But alas, all good things…

The next day, we went back to the pub and got back to work. My god, it was a full house! This place was wall to wall bodies and I wasn't sure how to feel about that. I did my best to bring myself back down. I needed a happy place. Luckily, I had a happy place. And it wasn't the front of the house. It was the back. Kyoya and I went back into the kitchen and found Elliot scrambling to get orders out.

"Lana!" he gasped, "Thank God! You think you could wait tables for me?"

"No," Kyoya put his foot down, "She stays back here. I'm going to need her help."

"You got a full staff back here, Kyoya," Elliot assured, "You won't need her."

"Yes, I will," he demanded, "She's the only other person that knows how to do this. No one on your staff does. She stays back here."

"Alright," Elliot caved. Besides, I was in no shape to be waiting tables anyway. There were way too many people out there. I couldn't handle something like that, "I got it. Don't worry about it."

"Thank you," I spoke meekly.

"Get to work!"

"What do you need me to do?" I asked, looking around for something to keep me occupied.

"As of now," Kyoya got into the fridge, getting the lamb out, "Nothing. I want you to sit and twiddle your thumbs. I did this entirely by myself when we went to Karuizawa, Lana. I can manage."

"Ok," I pulled up a stool and watched while Kyoya cooked, "So, you don't need me to do anything?"

"Occasionally taste test," he smiled a bit, "You can do that for me, can't you?"

"I guess," I blushed, "You twisted my arm."

Ring, ring.

"Who's that?" Kyoya asked.

I slid my finger across the screen, "Hey, Rhi."

"Hey, sweetie," my sister chimed, "What are you up to?"

"Currently?" I looked over Kyoya's shoulder, "Cooking."

"I'm bored!" she groaned, "You need to come over."

"I can't," I bit my tongue, "I really can't talk right now, Rhiannon."

"What?" Rhiannon scoffed, "You have something that takes precedence over me?"

"I had a birthday present dropped off on me," I buried my face in his shoulder blades, "That takes great precedence over you right now. Did you tell Rhi you were coming?"

"No," Kyoya shook his head, "Hi, Rhiannon."

"Kyoya!" she let out a high-pitched squeal, "Ok. I understand. I'll shut up. Tell me everything tomorrow."

"I will," I promised, "Go to work, Rhiannon."

"My pleasure!"

Click.

Well, that was short lived. While Kyoya finished up his lamb, the rest of the kitchen staff worked on plating it. Like an art form in itself. But before I knew it, I was being whisked away to the roof of the pub. This spot had all the best views of London. The reflection off the Thames, the London Eye, Parliament. And I got to see it all with the one I loved most.

"Go on," Kyoya insisted, "You know you missed it."

"I did," I swooned, taking my first bite. Damn, I missed Kyoya's cooking. Kyoya, too, but his cooking…Ugh…He was right. The way to my heart was through my stomach. I like food! Is that such a bad thing? That kind of mentality was what led to my slight eating disorder problem…But spending the summer with Rhiannon that year helped. She lives in a cultural hub of some of the best restaurants in the world. If that wasn't my favorite form of post hospital therapy, I don't know what is.

"And?" he asked, "Haven't lost my touch, have I?"

"God no," I moaned, "I love you, Kyoya."

"I love you, too," Kyoya took my free hand, "You know, Lana…There's something that's been burning in the back of my mind for quite some time now."

"Hush," I stopped him, "Because I think I know where this is going."

"I'm not sure you do…"

"Kyoya," I squeezed his hand back, "I want us to try something tonight. And for me to say this is kind of a big thing."

"Alright," he allowed, "I'm listening."

"This is your last night in London," I sighed out, "And these last couple days have been so wonderful."

"They have been," Kyoya agreed, "And I never want them to end."

"However," I blushed a little, "I want this last night to be memorable."

"Every night with you is memorable, Lana," he assured, "You know that."

"I want us to try something," I suggested, "And feel free to say no. I'm sure both parties need to be consenting for this sort of thing."

"Lana," Kyoya's lightbulb turned on, "Think about this. Think about what this would entail. Are you sure you want to do that?"

"I'm sure," I nodded, "Please?"

"If you're one hundred percent sure…"

"Kyoya, I want to have sex with you," I blurted out, "Love of God, let's just let that happen."

"Ok," he pulled my chair out for me, "Shall we?"

"Don't start using those hosting charms on me now," I teased, "You already got me, baby."

"I know."

And the two of us headed back to our hotel. I couldn't believe this was happening. This was happening. I should've talked with my sister first, but I needed to go into this with only one other person. I needed to do this with the one person I know loved me more than anything in the world. As the two of us were peeling clothes off, I had a thought pop back into my head that I hadn't had since Karuizawa.

I forgot how much of an Adonis my boyfriend was. I might have been a potato compared to him, but I was still a very cute potato. Like tater tots. Or French fries. But once we actually got in bed, none of that mattered. Kyoya didn't need to tell me how much he loved me. He showed me. For a beautiful moment, my insecurity melted away. And we melted into one being. One entity…And I never wanted this feeling to go away…

 **A/N: I didn't want to make that last bit smut. I don't do smut for this. You should know better. If I wanted to write smut, I'd put it in something else, but this is too pure and too good for this world. However, I did want Lana and Kyoya to end up losing their virginities to each other. Figured why not now? Lana's feeling good, Kyoya went all the way to London for her. What the hell? Now! I know I should've done these in the beginning, but more shout outs are deserved! I haven't posted this one yet, but a user known by the Utterly Fabulous Z did some fanart for me that I need to put on my Tumblr (that is, if it's alright with you, dear) and another user (who changes their name like people change their underpants) currently named Sion of Hades (you'll find them lurking in my reviews) wrote a gush piece about me which…Flattered. Loved. Again, I say this, do NOT HESITATE to do fanart for me. I love it and I get all warm and fuzzy inside every time. Now, I'm really sorry this is up late, but I had a really wicked panic attack earlier today that kind of took me out of the game for a while. Better late than never! And by the way, I have everything plotted out generally for this for the next six weeks. I'm just going to say this. I can't wait until April...See you next chapter! xx**


	13. So Far Away

**A/N: Hello, my little beauts. Oh, how I missed you so. You know, I'm not trying to stroke my ego here, but I never get tired of reading the nice things you all have to say to me. And how wonderful you all are when my chips are down. You all get big hugs redeemable whenever you see me in person. Like…For serious…Don't even hesitate.**

Waking up completely naked felt cold. I could've sworn that after Kyoya and I were...he covered me up, kissed my cheek, and cuddled me until we fell asleep. But I didn't even feel Kyoya around me. However, that tickle I felt on my wrist every other morning had moved around my bellybutton. And a soft hum melted me to my core. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that was something from American Idiot.

When I looked down toward my feet, I couldn't see them. For the first time in my life, I was ok with that. It wasn't my gross body blocking my view. Only the top of Kyoya's head while he created a masterpiece on my skin. Keeping my hips perfectly still, I wrapped my legs around my boyfriend's waist, linking my ankles in his back.

"This feels familiar," Kyoya made me blush, "Good morning."

"Morning," I smiled a bit. Unfortunately, my good feeling was short lived when reality set in and the numbers on the clock depressed the hell out of me. Seven o'clock ruined my moment, "Kyoya, I have to get up."

"No, you don't," he moved up, wrapping his arms around me, "You don't have to go anywhere."

"Yes, I do," I reveled in his embrace, resting my head on his bare chest, tracing his muscle definition with my finger, "Although, I guess I could stay like this a little longer."

"You're right, though," Kyoya held me tighter, "At least my last night in London was...quite memorable."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," I let out a tiny yawn, "Kyoya, I need to get to school."

"And I have a flight leaving in a couple of hours," he kissed the top of my head, "Your uniform is in the closet."

"It's times like this," I pulled myself out of bed, "I almost miss my Ouran uniform."

"I miss seeing you in your Ouran uniform," Kyoya followed close behind me, burying his face in my neck, "That would mean you were home."

"Kyoya," I heaved a heavy sigh, "Please don't make this harder than it has to be. I can't handle passive aggression this morning."

"You can hardly handle passive aggression altogether," he draped his arms around my shoulders, "But that's perfectly ok."

"That's what the bottles in my bag are for," I joked darkly, "Could you get me one of each please?"

"Sure," Kyoya let me go and dug around in my bag for my breakfast, "This is probably a stupid question, but are you coming to the airport with me?"

"Yeah," I got dressed, "It's going to suck, but I'll go."

"Are you sure?" he worried, "You don't have to."

"Yes, I do," I assured, running my fingers up the buttons on my shirt, "I'll need the closure."

"I'm not dying, Lana," Kyoya promised, putting the six different pills in my mouth, "I'll be back in a few weeks. You think you can tough it out for me?"

"We'll still have date night?"

"Of course."

"Good," I swallowed hard, "Shall we?"

Kyoya draped the sapphire necklace he gave me around my neck, clasping it in the back, "We shall."

"Let's get this over with."

I was looking forward to Kyoya leaving like I would a root canal. Only a root canal could put me in a better mental state, although false. It's better than nothing at all. I was going into this with no painkillers. I was about to say goodbye to the one that had always worked best for me. The one that I never wanted to run out of.

"Are you sure you're going to be ok?" Kyoya held me at the gate.

"No," I shook off the inevitable tears bubbling in the back of my eyes, "But I'll have to be, right?"

"December, Lana," he promised, "I'll be back in December. Just a few weeks."

"Kyoya," my voice broke, "I don't want you to go."

"I don't want to leave you," he squeezed me tighter, "Believe me. I don't want to leave you. But you'll be ok. I know you will. And I want you to be without incident when I come back, ok?"

"I will," I promised, a few tears escaping my eyes, "I love you, Kyoya."

"Aishiteru," Kyoya whispered to me, unable to speak any louder, and kissed me one last time, "I love you, too, Lana. I'll call you when I land, ok?"

"Ok..." And just like that, he was gone. I didn't even care that I was brutally late for school. I just wanted to get on that plane with him. A piece of me just took off for Japan and the rest of me needed to be headed that direction, too.

But alas, here I was. I managed to miss English lit, but I made it in time for the last half hour of study hall. Good. I could either take a depressive power nap or I could attempt to copy the brightly colored spray of flowers on my stomach. That's the only downer about Kyoya drawing on me. It wasn't permanent. His drawing on my left arm excluded.

"Lana!" Fantastic. Just who I needed to hear from, "It's good to finally see you today!"

"Miss Vaughn," our teacher shut her up, "That's enough. Miss Smith, why are you late?"

"I had a doctor's appointment," I sat down, throwing my bag at the leg of my desk, "If you need validation, call Yuuichi Ootori. He'll vouch for me."

"Right then," he let me off the hook, "All of you, back to work."

"So, Lana," Victoria turned around, "Where were you this weekend? We haven't seen you since Friday."

"I'm not in the mood, Victoria," I brushed her off, "Please leave me alone."

"Look at you!" she awed, "Growing a spine, are we? Don't think I forgot about what happened at Yuzuha Hitachiin's fashion show, Lana."

"Good for you," I grumbled into my cardigan, trying to keep myself from scratching at my wrists again, "Really, Victoria, I'm not in the mood. Leave me alone."

"Rude," she scoffed, turning around in her seat. Got her to do what I wanted in the end, didn't I? For the rest of the day, all I wanted was to be alone. For my own sake, I was going to tough it out through school for the day. I could do that much. If I didn't, I feel like Kyoya would club me. But at least he'd understand why. Something tells me I'm going to have to schedule a visit with his brother sometime in the near future.

How I made it to lunch was nothing short of a miracle. In my defense, though, I did zone out in all of my classes between study hall and lunch. And I could zombie my way through deciphering my notes and my homework later. Most of the time, I didn't even have to listen to my teachers. I could go back in my book and teach myself. Except for one class, but I had a hell of a tutor for that.

When I got to the cafeteria, I didn't really feel like eating. And if I did, I had a feeling that I wouldn't want to stop for a while. Binging was not on my list of things to do today. Not now, anyway. Maybe later. A couple of Welsh cakes or an order of chips sounded like a good idea. And Elliot always made for a good sounding board, but I didn't need to bother him with this. I was just being a baby.

Beep!

Who the hell...? I knew this wasn't Kyoya. He was four hours into his flight and hopefully sleeping. I didn't want him to go through jetlag. When I took my phone out of the front pocket of my bag, a pleasant surprise brightened up my screen. A text from someone that I hadn't heard from extensively in quite some time.

 _Hi, Lana._

 _HF_

Haruhi! It's been way too long since I had last talked to her. I might not have had many girl friends in Japan, but Haruhi was definitely my best. Aside from Kyoya. But he was my boyfriend. There's a difference.

 _Hi, Haruhi. What are you texting me for?_

 _LS_

Beep!

 _Just checking in._

 _HF_

For whatever reason, this felt like something a certain someone would do just to make sure I was keeping myself out of trouble. I love Haruhi to death, but I couldn't help being skeptical. That was the general theme of my day; skepticism and empty, slightly crippling sadness.

 _Did Kyoya send you?_

 _LS_

Beep!

It really wouldn't surprise me if she said yes. Then again, would Haruhi do something like lie to me for the sake of keeping appearances? No. She was too pure of a soul to do something like that.

 _No. Tamaki-senpai dragged me out to some gala and I'm really out of place._

 _HF_

Sounds like something Tamaki would do. He just wants to show off his little girl to all of the upper class people he's forced to be around. However, in situations like that, I'm sure Tamaki soaks everything up like a sponge. He probably thrives on the parties and atmospheres that come with it.

 _So, you thought of me?_

 _LS_

Beep!

 _I've been thinking about you a lot lately._

 _HF_

Beep!

 _We should be leaving soon, but I lost him._

 _HF_

Wow. They did care, didn't they...?

 _Maybe you should get him a bell._

 _LS_

Beep!

 _I've been thinking about it._

 _HF_

 _Maybe you should try yelling something out you know he'd respond to._

 _LS_

I remember when I was younger and I lost Rhiannon in a department store. I might have been eight. Pre-diagnosis. She tied a balloon on my wrist every other time we went out after that, so she'd be able to find me. I guess that was kind of like a bell. Only not as annoying.

Beep!

The next message I got from Haruhi had a video attached to it. Weird. I never thought she'd send me videos. It started out as a crowded room full of the upper echelons of society. Haruhi wasn't kidding. This place would make anyone uncomfortable. Everyone seemed like they had a stick up their ass a mile long.

"Hey!" she called out, "That commoner, Haruhi Fujioka, is pretty cute!"

"YOU KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF HER!" a familiar voice freaked in the crowd.

"Found him," Haruhi sighed out, "Thanks, Lana!"

I needed that. Tamaki's mini freak outs were always something that made me giggle a little bit. And after the hell I've been going through all day, that might be enough to get me through the rest of it without binging at the pub later. I missed them. I missed Japan. I needed to go home.

The bell rang and I went back to class. I could do this. If Haruhi could manage to be in a room full of the damn rich people we both wanted to club so much with her scatterbrained idiot of a boyfriend, I could get through the rest of the day. Although, when I got to my last class of the day, it only depressed me again.

I picked a seat in the back of my biology class and hoped I'd be able to fall asleep. Biology made me miss Kyoya even more. When I went to open up my notebook, I found a clipping I had taped in there for occasions just like this. Even though I knew it was going to break me, I ran my finger over the beautiful, dark blue script.

 _Your first mistake was wandering into a seemingly abandoned music room. Your second mistake was coming back. By the looks of it, the bell is going to ring soon. I love you._

Damn, I missed him. Kyoya had only been gone a few hours, but it felt like he was never here. Until I lifted up the bottom of my shirt to see the proof. The floral arrangement around my bellybutton was one of the few things keeping me completely grounded. This was the proof Kyoya was actually here and my mind wasn't playing tricks on me. And I'd give anything for this to happen again.

When the final bell rang, I made a beeline for my dorm and locked myself in my room for a while. I didn't feel like moving. Not out of laziness. Just exhausted. How I managed to keep my composure without punching someone or breaking down will forever baffle me. Fortunately, I had mastered the go to hell stare enough to where people would leave me alone.

I curled up in a ball on my bed and reached up for my phone on my nightstand. All of my friends were asleep and I didn't want to bother them. However, it was eleven o'clock in the morning in Brooklyn. If anyone could pull me out of the nightmarish slump I've been in since this morning, it's her.

"Hello?" my sister chimed on the other end.

"Rhiannon," I sighed out, "I need a hug."

"Let me guess," she assumed, "Kyoya left this morning, didn't he?"

"Yeah."

"Do you need me to come over, sweetie?" she offered.

"Are you actually here?" I wondered, "Because that would be fantastic."

"No," Rhiannon told me, "I'm taking Maka for a walk. But I can be. I got some time off coming up and I wouldn't mind getting back to London. It's been, what, two years?"

"And Kyoya's going to be coming back in a few weeks," I remembered.

"And just so it's not as much of a bombshell," she went on, "Mom and Dad are talking about doing Christmas in London, so..."

"Honestly," I rolled over, "I think I could handle it."

"Really?" my sister's skepticism was not lost on me, "Are you sure you could do that?"

"Yeah," I figured, "I've reached that mystical level of not giving a crap about anything. Emotional flatness can have its perks."

"That's my girl," Rhiannon praised, "Once you stop caring about someone else's opinion, it's like the whole world opens up to you. It's rather liberating. Like taking your bra off at the end of the day liberating."

With that off-color remark, I debated whether or not I should share with Rhiannon the events of last night. I'm sure she'd be stoked to hear her little sister lost her virginity, but that feels like one of those things that should stay between Kyoya and me. Bragging about our exploits just feels wrong.

"I know what you mean," I kept things to myself, "You know, Rhi, I think I'm going to go to the pub. Maybe I can get that hug from Elliot."

"Drinking our problems, are we?" she teased, "You know how you get when you're drunk."

"Lazy and lethargic," I chuckled, recalling the incident that occurred at Kyoya's house when his parents weren't home and Rhiannon decided to spike our Capri-Sun with vodka...and Haruhi's underpants ended up on the chandelier, "Couldn't even get my pajamas on."

"Good times," Rhiannon let out a heavy, nostalgic sigh.

"No," I clarified, "I'm not drinking my problems. I'm eating them instead."

"Well," she squeaked, "Send Elliot my love. Don't eat the Welsh cakes."

"He makes mine special," I assured her, "He doesn't make mine with raspberries."

"Good," Rhiannon let me go, "I love you, Lana."

"Love you, too."

Click.

Maybe I could give that whole drinking my problems thing a shot. No. Because when Rhiannon took me to that hole in the wall bar in Queens, she always told me never to drink when I'm depressed. That it would only make me worse. And for someone like me, that'd be too damn messy for me to deal with and I wasn't putting Elliot through that. Feel better first, then get hammered.

Ding!

"Hi, Lana," Elliot greeted me like any other day while I laid the top half of my body on the bar, "You alright, love?"

"I need two Welsh cakes," I ordered.

"Yeah," he nodded, calling my order back, "What's the matter, Lana?"

"Kyoya left..."

"I'll make it three then," Elliot revised, "On the house."

"Bless you."

If anyone knew I needed to eat my feelings, it's Elliot. He always made my sad food for me. The sweeter, the better. Normally, I would've settled for something blander, but I needed some Welsh cakes. That just sounded like a good idea. Besides, warm and fuzzy memories of Kyoya feeding me chips in bed and the occasional bite of Welsh cakes made things better and worse at the same time. All I needed was to stuff my face and I'd be ok again. Eventually. I'm sure.

 **A/N: So, we got Lana in a little bit of a depressive slump. Her rock just got on a plane to Japan. Can you blame her? But she'll be alright. Trust me. I know this much. She's going to be ok. Next week, she'll get her reassurance that she'll be ok. She did say she was going to schedule a visit with Yuuichi soon anyway, didn't she? Also, I'm posting at a humanly hour! Yaaaay! Amazing what happens when I'm weirdly focused and jazzed all over the place. Not necessarily in a good mood, but more or less determined. See you next chapter. xx**


	14. The Doctor is In

**A/N: Hi, guys! If this chapter sucks, I'm sorry. I've been kind of out of it all day and at this point, I'm making excuses. I needed a place to vent, ok? Is that alright with you? If not, press one. If it is, press two. Dial now. *catchy elevator music plays***

 **And to the random guest comment I got last week, you are absolutely right. I am VERY dedicated to my fic page and to my FictionPress page (still astounded that I'm not published yet. If anyone would care to set me in that direction, that'd be fantastic). It is, in fact, madam. But not a Madame. And it doesn't matter if you've been through it or not. It may help you understand someone a little better (nearly put bitter. Oh, the irony…) that has gone through some of this and needs a shoulder to cry on and a hug. And a cup of tea and a blanket. I really hope you stick around to see how this story plays out. Every Tuesday, I'll be here. Unless I decide to take hiatus. I've written this through really wicked depression spells and from being borderline on my death bed sick, so almost nothing will keep me from updating this every week. Even though I know some of you that have yelled at me for doing such silliness. And for not taking care of myself like I should be...And for all kinds of other shit that would take too long to list out. So, I'm going to shut my hole here and let you read my laments, ok?**

The same old day. The same old routine. The same old life. Wake up, school, sleep, repeat. Lately, I've been so flat, so robotic. Like I've only been going through the motions. Not doing anything with thought, but with complete vacancy. Kyoya's been gone for two weeks and I've been a zombie ever since. I thought being with him would've set me straight a little, but it's only made things worse.

I should probably set up an appointment with Yuuichi. I'm done not feeling anything. Where the hell did I put my phone? I unplugged it from the wall and scrolled through my contacts. O...O...Ootori, Kyoya...Ootori, Yuuichi. Although, a good, lengthy conversation with Ootori, Kyoya would probably be almost as healing.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Yuuichi," I sighed out, "It's Lana."

"Hi, Lana," Yuuichi chimed, "Are you ok? You sound a little down."

"I could really use a friend," I pulled my blanket a little tighter, "Are you free today?"

"For you, of course," he assured, "Anytime. You want to meet me at Amanda's office in about thirty minutes?"

"Sure," I did my best to pull myself out of bed, "I'll see you soon."

"Bye."

Click.

And so began the long trek to Dr. Moreno's office. I hoped her brother was getting better. As much as I hated it at the time, I'd be begging him to go into a treatment center, too. Those hospitals were depressing, but the can help. The can also scare someone straight, too...or they make someone very crafty on how they hide their problems.

When I got to Dr. Moreno's office, Yuuichi twiddled his thumbs at her desk, checking his e-mail, answering text messages. I threw myself on the couch, "Yuuichi, I'm dead inside."

"And that's what I'm here for," Yuuichi put his phone down, "Now, Lana, what seems to be the problem?"

"I've just been..." I thought of a way to word this without causing too much alarm, "I don't know. I've been vacant. The lights are on and no one's home. That's the suck part about Kyoya leaving. I want nothing more than to leave with him, but I know I can't."

"And it's got you feeling trapped here," he assumed.

"Yeah," I agreed, "Like I don't belong here. I know this is my home sweet home, but it's like the city's rejecting me and I know I'm not supposed to be here."

"Where are you supposed to be then?"

"Not here," I started balling up again, "But I can't go back to Japan."

"Why not?"

"Because I have to be here!" I squeaked, "It's like I'm being forced. Being back home doesn't feel like home. Being here doesn't feel like home. I feel like a nomad and I don't like it."

"Do you know when Kyoya's supposed to be back?" Yuuichi asked.

"Sometime next week," I figured, playing with the sapphire hanging around my neck. A nervous habit I've managed to pick up since he's been gone.

"There," he gave me a little nudge, "You have something to look forward to, don't you?"

"You know," I looked up at him, "You're painfully and disgustingly optimistic, aren't you?"

"Part of my job," Yuuichi shrugged me off, "You will get back to Japan one day, Lana. I can promise you that much."

"And if I don't?"

"Then, you never have to see me again," he assured, "I'll take over for Amanda with her brother and she can go back to being your regular doctor."

"Don't go..." I felt the tears bubbling in the back of my eyes, "Please. Yuuichi, aside from Dr. Moreno, you're the only other doctor I've had that I don't want to punch every time I see you. You can't leave me."

"I'm honored," Yuuichi took my hand, "And I'm not going anywhere, Lana. It's you and me for as long as you need me."

"If I didn't have such a good relationship with Dr. Moreno," I admitted, "I'd switch to you full time."

"If you move back to Japan," he suggested, "I could be your doctor full time."

"Honestly," I let out a heavy sigh, "When I was in Tokyo, I didn't need one. It was a rarity I talked with Dr. Moreno. Maybe once every few months, if that. I was, dare I say, happy. Everything was good. I had my friends, my boyfriend, my sister for a while. Anytime the chips were down, I always had someone within arm's reach to take care of me and didn't see it as a burden. I think that's what I miss the most."

"You're going to be ok, Lana," Yuuichi promised, "It's only another week."

"And Kyoya will be back in London," I smiled a little, "Thanks, Yuuichi."

"That's what I'm here for," he reciprocated, "You need anything else? You ok?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I think I'm going to go do a follow up. There's someone else I need to set straight."

"Want me go with you?"

"No," I shook my head, "I'll be fine. It's Elliot. He loves me."

"Good luck," Yuuichi sent me on my merry way and I headed straight for the pub. With the amount of times I'm in and out of there like a revolving door, people are going to think I have a drinking problem. I honestly go in there for the lamb and the company. That's all it is.

I made my nest at the end of the bar and waited for Elliot to realize I was there. All I wanted was an order of chips, but it's better than going all day without eating anything. Again. Anytime I'd try to get up and make something, I couldn't move. And I could hear my old nutritionist bitching at me in the back of my head. That's not good for you, Lana. You know you need to eat something, Lana. You're going to end up passing out at your cousin's wedding again, Lana. Your body's going to deteriorate without eating, Lana...Quite maddening, actually. I hated her, too. I'm sure if I hooked up with Yuuichi in Tokyo if/when I ever move back, I'm sure he could give me a good referral. Or I could have Kyoya beating me on the nose with a newspaper.

"Lana!" Elliot sang, coming to my end, "Where have you gone off to? I haven't seen you in here since you and Kyoya were here last. Sundays get sad and lonely without you."

"Kyoya's back in Tokyo," I laid on the bar, "I've been a little out of sorts lately. And I still got my lamb. Postmates brought it to me."

"What would we do without those modern conveniences?" he jabbed.

"They've certainly made life easier for the modern introvert," I pointed out, "Or for the modern agoraphobe."

"You know that's not good for you, Lana," Elliot scolded, "I was reading something on that not too long ago. Staying shut in like that was used as a torture tactic way back when. Isolation for too long can cause all kinds of problems."

"I'm sure it does."

"By the way, love," he put a glass of something red in front of me, "Beautiful creature at the end of the bar sends this for you."

"Thanks, Elliot." Who the hell would be sending me a drink? They had a hood up, so I couldn't really make much out of their face. Kyoya was back in Tokyo and I just left Yuuichi. I didn't really have much else for friends here. When I took my initial drink, it sent an electrical shock through my body. My usual lemonade was replaced with a cherry limeade, flooding my brain with the weirdest flashback.

When I was younger, I was still living in Iowa. Rhiannon had just come back from New York after her first year of living there and she brought me a big ass bottle of cherry limeade from some deli she went to on a regular basis. She said it was the best the city had to offer and if I drank it with my medication, it'd make it work even better. I was twelve at the time and desperate for the hell in my head to go away. Not quite as good, but it was the thought that counts, right?

I jumped down from my barstool and threw my arms around my mysterious admirer, damn near bawling in her shoulder. All she could do was hold me tight and giggle a little bit, "I told you I could be here if you needed me, sweetie."

"You couldn't have come at a better time," I sobbed, shaking in my sister's embrace.

"It's alright, Lana," Rhiannon settled me, "Thanks, Elliot."

"No problem," he shot her a wink.

"Really, though," I came down a bit, "I missed you, Rhiannon."

"I missed you, too," she sat me back down on a barstool, "I could tell when we were on the phone that you giving me the I'm ok crap that you and I both know isn't true. And I knew damn well you were in shambles. I've seen you post Kyoya leaving. It's not a pretty sight and you don't deserve to go through that alone. I'm sorry it took me so long to get here."

"I have been a little messy lately," I admitted, confirming her suspicions, "But the good news is I can pull my sleeves up."

"That's not good news," Rhiannon let out a sigh of relief, "That's excellent news."

"He told me to be without incident by the time he came back," I remembered, "And he should be back next week."

"Good!" she chirped, "And with me being here, you'll be perfectly fine for what's about to happen."

"What's about to happen?" I cringed.

"I got here a few days before Mom and Dad," Rhiannon explained, "I figured it give you a little buffer time between being horrendously miserable and them coming here. Besides, I want to meet your new, hot doctor."

"He's Kyoya's brother," I reminded her, "He's married. No."

"I know," she pouted, "That's fine."

"And I already called dibs!"

Ring, ring.

"Speak of the devil?" she assumed.

"Right genepool, wrong brother," I answered my phone, "Hey, Kyoya. What are you doing up? It's nearly midnight."

"It's almost four in London," Kyoya retaliated, "Is it not?"

"Kyoya," I scolded, "It's nearly midnight. What are you doing awake?"

"I guess I have delayed jetlag," he figured, "What about you? Are you doing ok?"

"I've been better," I told him, "But I've also been worse. I just got out of a doctor's appointment and Rhi's here, too, so..."

"Hi, Kyoya!" Rhiannon sang out, giving me a nudge, "Tell him I say hi, Lana."

"Hi, Rhiannon," Kyoya knew exactly the kind of exasperating feeling I had right now. Because he had an overly energetic bundle of joy to deal with, too, "It's good to know you're not by yourself, Lana. You worry me when you're alone."

"I'll be ok," his brother's words buzzed in the back of my brain, "I miss you, though. When are you coming back?"

"Next week," he promised. Shortly after, it sounded like the line had gone dead.

"Kyoya?" I started to sweat, "Kyoya? You didn't hang up on me, did you?"

"No," Kyoya came back, "I got a text from Tamaki."

"Him, too?" I rolled my eyes, "Are all of you boys skipping out on sleep tonight?"

"This was a very important text," he said, "that I've been waiting all day for."

"What would be so important at this hour?" I chastised him like I was his own mother.

"Host club stuff," Kyoya brushed me off, "I promise you, Lana. I will be there next week. Now, if you're doing better and Rhiannon's there to keep an eye on you, I'm going to take some melatonin and go to bed."

"Good," I felt accomplished, "Good night, Kyoya."

"I love you."

"Aishiteru."

Click.

"What did you just tell him?" Rhiannon wondered, having little to no knowledge of my boyfriend's native tongue.

"I told him I loved him," I put my phone back in my bag, "He needs to get back here…"

"I do miss the host club," my sister whined.

"Me, too."

"They make for cute drunks," she grinned.

"Rhiannon…"

"We lived and learned with that incident," she pointed out, "Come on, Lana. I want to go play! I've been in London for damn near two hours and I'm bored."

"Where to?" I jumped down from my barstool.

"Wherever the road takes us, my dear sister," she threw her arm around my shoulders.

"Oi, Rhiannon!" Elliot called after us before we slipped out the door.

"What?"

"Are we doing our usual tonight?" he asked.

"Of course," Rhiannon scoffed, "I didn't just make a seven-and-a-half-hour flight only for her."

"Really?" I caught on quickly, squealing out in sheer disgust, "Is nothing sacred? Elliot's your London booty call?"

"What?" she squealed, "He's good at what he does and I'm single as hell. I'm a girl with needs, Lana."

"I know," I rolled my eyes, fully understanding those needs, "Come on."

I was done with her. So very, very done with her. And Rhiannon had no plans on leaving any time soon, I feared.

 **A/N: Next week…I promise next week will be better. And more exciting. Although, it is nice to see Rhiannon's face again. See you next chapter. xx**

 ***Also, if you've read my Black Butler series before you read this (or after. Don't really matter.) I started that back up again if you'd care to go read it…***


	15. Her Christmas Miracle

**A/N: Hi, guys! Slight trigger warning. Lana's parents. It's sad when they have to be a trigger warning on their own. But fear not, because delight is just around the corner. I promise.**

I knew this was coming, but I was still uneasy. Fortunately, the last couple days with Rhiannon coupled with the new round of medication Yuuichi was so kind to prescribe me, I could handle it. I think. If all else fails, I have Rhiannon as back up. Still, Mom and Dad were here and I wasn't going to drink bleach. Everything was going to be just fine. It's the holidays. Aren't things supposed to be better this time of year?

It had been a while since the four of us sat and had dinner together. That wasn't a disaster then either. However, we had gone to one of the nicer restaurants central London had to offer, so the chances of either Mom or Dad making a scene were slim. But I was still on my guard. Mom and Dad had that effect on me.

"So, Lana," Mom pointed out, "Where'd the sparkle around your neck come from? I don't remember you ever having that."

"Oh," I started fiddling with it out of nervous habit, "It was a birthday present from Kyoya."

"Which one was that?" Dad asked, "They all kind of looked the same."

"The one that was at my apartment," I clawed into my chair. I could pick Kyoya out of a lineup with no problem next to the rest of the host club.

"Is it real?" Mom took the pendant from me.

"No," I lied, getting a weird look from my sister across the table. Rhiannon knew better. Kyoya wouldn't get me fake stones. But my parents don't know that Kyoya's from a rich family and they don't need to know.

"Actually," she admitted, "It's kind of pretty for it being fake."

Although a backhanded compliment, I took it as close to a real compliment I'd probably ever get out of her. Mom had a good habit of that. She'd say something nice, but she'd always say something else that'd cancel it out. At this point, I just wrote them all off. I'm just glad neither her or Dad can tell real stones from fake ones.

"You keep in touch with him?" Dad wondered, making it sound almost too good to be true.

"I keep in touch with all of my friends in Japan," I told him, "Some of them have come to visit me in the past few-"

"That's all well and good, sweetheart," Mom dropped my necklace and moved over my shoulder, "But when did the blue happen? I always thought that was a Rhiannon thing."

And there she goes again. With her habit of a backhanded compliment, she also had one of comparing me to Rhiannon. When I was born, Rhiannon was the problem child. The one with the independent thoughts and didn't always keep herself out of trouble. When she still lived at home, she showed me her minibar she kept under her bed in a jewelry box and told me it was how she coped. I never told a soul about that.

"It's a both of us thing," Rhiannon stepped in for me, noticing my spaciness, "By the way, Lana, have you given thoughts to your next color?"

"Next color?" I wondered.

"Trust me," she promised, "Once you start, stopping is next to impossible. Hikaru and Kaoru have opened Pandora's box. If you want, next time you're in town my way, I can introduce you to my colorist. She's a queen."

"I don't know," I shrugged, "I haven't really thought about it. Maybe just touch this up."

"I didn't think you'd want all the extra attention," Mom assumed.

"She couldn't have just left it her natural color?" Dad grumbled.

Yep. Haven't seen them since last year and it was too soon. In my defense, I didn't know that was happening. I was the right amount of zoned out and the twins took advantage of it. In the back of my head, I could hear Kyoya in the back of my head telling me not to let them get under my skin. That I was better that this. Was I? I think the Kyoya in my head is putting too much faith in me.

The next day, it had been late enough in the afternoon where I could go to Rhiannon's hotel room and she'd probably be awake. I could've used the hug and the folks out of my head. I just needed a bounce on my sister's knee and her telling me that everything would be ok. And that this would pass. I knocked on her door and waited.

"Hey, sweetie," she opened her door, "What's up?"

"What are you doing right now?" I asked. By the looks of her, she was just waking up. Then again, if Rhiannon's got a day off, it's a rarity she's not in pajamas.

"Facetiming my dog," she said, "Why?"

"Are you serious?" I wouldn't put it past her, but that was a little ridiculous.

"Yeah," Rhiannon showed me her phone, "Say hi, Maka!"

"Maka!" I melted when the massive labradoodle's face came into focus, "Hi, baby!"

"Carlos is keeping an eye on him while I'm here," she filled me in, "He gives me updates."

"Hi, Lana!" Carlos chimed from the back.

"Hi, Carlos," I can't believe this is happening, but at the same time, it's Rhiannon.

"Rhiannon," a rough, English accent rumbled from inside, "Come back to bed."

I knew that voice...And I was very disappointed with my sister right now. Not surprised, not mad. Just very disappointed, "Just facetiming your dog, huh?"

"Look, Lana," Rhiannon checked me over, "Are you doing ok?"

"Yeah," I brushed her off, "I'll be fine."

"Good," she hugged me tight, "Because I have a thing to get back to."

"Enjoy," I cringed internally, "Hi, Elliot."

"Hi, Lana," Elliot had the same wince in his voice.

"I'll call you later to check in, ok?" Rhiannon promised.

"Fine," I left my sister to get her rocks off and went home. I've had enough of the day. I've had enough of everyone being here. I needed to be by myself for a while again. I wouldn't be a burden on anyone and it'd be the most efficient way to live right now. No one would have to worry. No one would have to take care of me. I could just be.

A good walk around the city might be a good idea. Something to burn off the nervous energy and the sadness. As long as I look both ways before crossing the street, I should be alright. Such a shame I've fallen out of love with London. It's lost its mysticism. I found somewhere I loved even more and I'd give an arm and a leg to get back there. However, I felt doomed to stick around here for a little while longer.

When I got back to the dorm (barely making it before curfew) and back to my room, I took my phone off my nightstand. Do I do it? I could really stand to hear Kyoya's voice again, but I didn't want him to worry about me. Maybe just a text. I'm afraid that if I start talking, I'll start crying and that's the last thing I want to do right now. Just a few simple words, maybe?

 _I need you back here..._

There. Not enough to make him frantic, but enough to get my point across. I plugged my phone back in and went to sleep. A good night's sleep might help. Then again, that whole good night's sleep was just as much of a myth as the mysticism that once hung over London. However, that was one of those fail safes in my depression like the one in my anxiety. If I'm depressed, it'll only make me sleep that much harder. If I'm having a panic attack in public, it internalizes itself enough to where I wouldn't make a scene.

In my first waking moments of the next morning, I felt like I got hit by a bus, but I knew better. One brush with that was plenty for my lifetime. As per usual, I did a quick check of my phone. Nine o'clock. Not bad. Normally, when I get into heavy depression sleeps, I'm sleeping until noon. Maybe something clicked in my head and I didn't realize it. Hey! My usual good morning text from Kyoya?

 _On my way._

On his way? This was last night. Shortly after I texted him. Did he have his phone up his ass or something?

Beep!

There it was...

 _Good morning, Lana._

Followed by a couple of heart emojis. It's like he knows. Of course he knows. If being with Kyoya has taught me anything, it's that he knows everything and nothing gets past him. Although, when something does catch him off guard, it's almost kind of adorable. I've also seen when things have caught him off guard and they weren't adorable. That was a side of him I never wanted to see again.

Beep!

What the hell, Kyoya? Double texting me? You don't do that.

One new picture attachment?

A picture of a clock tower popped up on my phone screen. What would he be sending me this for? Seen one clock tower, seen all of them. However, I looked this picture over a little closer. Wait a minute. That was Big Ben...THAT WAS BIG BEN!

Beep!

 _I'm waiting..._

KYOYA'S IN TOWN! He wasn't joking when he said he was on his way! I jumped out of bed with the most excitement I've had in what felt like an eternity. I took a quick shower, got dressed, threw my necklace on, grabbed my coat, and started running out the door. And because this is the most animation anyone's seen out of me, it didn't go unnoticed.

"Oi, Lana!" Victoria stopped me, "Where are you running off to?"

"I'm going to see my boyfriend!" I wasn't going to let Victoria piss me off. Not today. Today was going to be too good of a day. I was about to jump into my boyfriend's arms and never want to leave. Everything really was going to be ok, wasn't it? I hope so. I knew Victoria was going to have some sort of snide comment to make, but before she could even open her mouth, I was already halfway down the block.

When I got to the base of Big Ben, doubled over and out of breath with my adrenaline buzz wearing off, Kyoya was nowhere to be found. That picture looked so real...He could've gotten it off the internet. Kyoya knew better than to troll me like that, though...Right? I honestly thought he'd be here waiting for me. He said he would be. Unless he got tied up somewhere else. He didn't know anyone else in London besides me. Except for Yuuichi, but Kyoya still didn't know he was here.

"Lana-chan!" a sweet little voice squealed out, attaching himself to my leg.

"Honey?" I tried wrapping my head around it, "What are you doing here? And if you're here, where's Mori? You didn't run off on him, did you?"

"No," a warm body pressed against my back and a pair of arms wrapped around my front, "Hi, Lana."

"Hey," I laid my head on his chest, "This is going to sound like a really weird question and not to sound ungrateful you guys are here, but do you know where Kyoya is?"

"I haven't seen Kyo-chan anywhere," Honey shrugged, "Sorry, Lana-chan."

"It's alright," I let out a heavy sigh, "It's not your fault."

"Lana!" another pair of voices chimed simultaneously. That could only be one entity I knew and loved as the Hitachiin twins. And sure enough, I was sandwiched between them, "We missed you!"

"Hi, boys," I tried to shake them off, but that wasn't happening, "We just saw each other a couple months ago."

"That doesn't mean we can't miss you," Hikaru pouted.

"That's right," Kaoru agreed, "Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai were here before we were and I'm sure they missed you."

"We did," Honey nodded, still stuck on my hip.

"Hey, guys?" I begged, barely able to speak, "You think you could let me go please?"

"I couldn't have said it better myself." There's what I was looking for, "Leave her be."

"There you are," I buried my face in Kyoya's chest, "Where were you last night?"

"On a 5AM flight here," he admitted, kissing me deeply, "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," I never wanted to leave his embrace, "You know, if I didn't know any better, with Honey and Mori here and the twins here and you here, I'd think the whole-"

"LANA!" Gee...I wonder who this could be now. I didn't have much time to think. He pried me away from Kyoya, damn near snapping me in half, "I'VE FINALLY COME BACK TO YOU! DADDY'S LITTLE GIRL IS BACK WHERE SHE SHOULD BE! OH, HOW I MISSED YOU, SO!"

"Senpai, no," his girlfriend cringed behind him.

"Senpai, yes!" Tamaki wasn't letting me go. I would've taken the twins again at full speed than this, but I wasn't going to complain.

"Hi, Tamaki," I choked out, "I understand you're ecstatic, but please let me go. I have enough back problems as it is."

"I'm sorry," he let me go. Only for Kyoya to snake me back, "But can you blame me? We haven't seen you since last summer!"

"Sorry about that, Lana," Haruhi pulled me into a hug, "He's excitable."

"If I didn't know that by now," I giggled, "I'd be screwed."

"True."

"You really did," I snuggled back to Kyoya again, "You brought the entire host club for me."

"It was Tamaki's idea," Kyoya admitted, "He overheard me booking my flight and thought we should all go."

"You should know better than to make plans when Tamaki's in earshot," I teased.

"I should," he sighed out, "But if I did, we wouldn't all be here. Now, have you eaten yet?"

"No," I shook my head, "Not yet."

"Come on," Kyoya took my hand, "We should go get breakfast."

"It is cold as balls out here," I shivered, "Anywhere warm would be nice."

"Any opposition?" Silence, "Alright then."

"Yay!"

As the others took off up the street, I pulled Kyoya into the alley, wrapping my legs around his waist and pulling him into the sweetest kiss we've ever had. Well...Minus me breaking down in his arms. I buried my face in my boyfriend's shoulder and bawled my eyes out.

"Lana?" Kyoya worried, wiping my cheeks, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I sobbed, "Absolutely nothing. You have the most perfect timing, Kyoya."

"Always," he kissed the top of my head, "You know I'm always here for you."

After he pulled me back together, Kyoya and I met up with the others at a cafe down the block that I've been to a million and one times over. Everyone was sat around a large, round table and it looked like a Norman Rockwell painting. This was what a family felt like. This was my home. This was where I wanted to be more than anywhere else in the world.

"So," I asked the question I had been dreading since they all showed up, "When are you guys leaving?"

"We'll be here until New Year's," Tamaki promised, "Unless you want us to stay longer."

"We can't stay longer than that," Kyoya sighed out, "Unfortunately. School starts back up on the fifth."

"What's missing a few days for her?" Tamaki winked at me, sending me into slight heart palpitations. He was good for that.

"I already broke my perfect attendance record," he caved, "But I'm sure she'd understand, right, Lana?"

"It'll suck not having you guys around anymore," I bit my lip, "But I think I'll manage."

"You sure?" Kyoya laced his fingers between mine.

"I'm pretty sure," I hoped, "I've managed somehow without our lovable band of weirdos for the past few months. I should be alright."

"Wouldn't it be nice if you were somewhere we didn't have to worry?" Kyoya's grip on my hand tightened. Almost like he was in pain.

"There's only one place I could be," I laid my head on his shoulder, "Unfortunately, you know where I stand on that."

"I know," he pushed my hair out of my face, "I know."

"There you are, Lana," Yuuichi joined us. What the hell was he doing here? And speaking to me so calmly like he knew me? I mean, he did know me, but in mixed company, I thought we were going with the story that he didn't know me! What the hell was Yuuichi doing, breaking up family breakfast like this? Relax, Lana. Maybe you can play this off, "I tried calling you, but you weren't picking up."

"Who are you?" I shot him a subliminal glare. Shut up, Yuuichi. You don't know me. You have no idea who I am. Especially not when I'm cuddled up with your brother.

"What brings you here?" Kyoya asked, staying oddly calm through all of this.

"Uh," Haruhi was just as lost as I was. Only hers was genuine, "What's happening?"

"You've never met any of Kyoya's family," Tamaki whispered to her, "That's his oldest brother, Yuuichi."

Yeah, that's his brother, Yuuichi! Why was he here? And so nonchalant about it? I checked my phone out of anxious habit and noticed two missed calls from Yuuichi. I guess he did try calling me. But I was busy doing cartwheels over Kyoya being here and then, the entire host club got dropped in my lap. Not that I'm complaining about that in the least, but this? I could've gone without this.

"Lana?" Kyoya nudged me, "Lana?"

"What?" I snapped out of my trance.

"Did you not hear me?" he asked, "I said, this is my older brother Yuuichi. I've told him a lot about you."

"Oh," I came back down to Earth, still a little freaked about where this was going, "Sorry."

"No," Kyoya wrapped his arms around me, "I am. I've known Yuuichi's been your doctor for the past few months. He's been keeping me updated on you."

"What?" I gave Yuuichi a look, "You knew Kyoya knew?"

"Of course," Yuuichi assured, "I'm a little bothered he didn't come to see me when he was in town for your birthday, but I understand."

"Who do you think sent him in the first place?" Kyoya came clean, "Dr. Moreno's brother had gone into a rehabilitation clinic a week after she left. We decided to extend her leave and she's been in Spain ever since."

"Your stay in London has almost been planned right down to the minute," Yuuichi added, "That's including the sporadic visits from the others."

"What?" I needed a minute to catch up. So, Kyoya and Yuuichi were in cahoots together. The boys were in on it. My regularly scheduled doctor is sipping wine in a hammock in Spain. And I'm the only one thoroughly confused here, "Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Kyoya promised, "We all care about you, Lana. No one more at this table than me. With you out of Japan, I knew you weren't going to be good. You needed to be taken care of and who better than us?"

"You told me yourself," Yuuichi reminded me, "When you were in Japan, you might have talked to Amanda once every few months. You were ok. Which brings me to what's in my envelope."

"What is it?" I wondered, terrified of what it could be.

"Another prescription I want you taking immediately," he demanded, "You might want to look at that by yourself. I haven't even looked at it yet."

I took the envelope from Yuuichi's hand and went into the bathroom. Just a blank envelope. That is until I saw the stationery stamped at the top of the page. I knew that seal. That was from...What did those two do? What happened? What kind of shenanigans has Kyoya been up to while I've had my back turned?

I know the host club knew better than to do something like that. But just because they knew better didn't mean they wouldn't do it anyway. Again. Relax, Lana. It's alright. It's just a letter. Not just any letter, though. This was straight from the Ouran Academy admissions office…

 **A/N: Because I'm a jerk, let's leave it on a cliffhanger! But look on the bright side. We got the entire host club in London. We got Mom and Dad here…but we got Rhiannon, too, so that's a plus. And Kyoya knew Yuuichi was in town the whole time. But that's because Kyoya knows everything. I don't even know if that's all that big of a surprise. Also, can we take a minute to appreciate the fact that Rhiannon facetimes with her dog just to see he's doing ok? I think that's adorable. So, next week, we're going to find out why Lana's got a letter from the Ouran admissions office in the bathroom of this café. See you next chapter! xx**


	16. I'm Coming Home

**A/N: Hi, guys! We still have Lana's parents here. Unfortunately. But I think this is going to be the last chapter they're involved in. But now, the thrilling conclusion of last week's chapter that we left on a hell of a cliffhanger, if I do say so myself. If you start squealing, there's a remedy for a sore throat in chapter 17 of Kiss Kiss. Because the anticipation's probably killing you, I'm going to shut up and let you read, ok? Also, this chapter is dedicated to one of my regularly scheduled readers who I know and love and I'm pretty sure they know who they are…I know I already told you, but I really am glad you're doing better, sweetie. Enjoy!**

Oh my God...Was this real? There's no way this was real. This host club wasn't really here and Yuuichi didn't just hand me a letter from Ouran Admissions and I'm not reading it in a bathroom stall. The piece of paper shook in my hand. Relax, Lana. It's just a letter. It's just a letter.

From Ouran Admissions, though. The last time I had one of these, it was giving me a not so friendly reminder that I was too broke to afford another year of tuition. The might as well have told me they were kicking me out. Hopefully, this one won't break my heart as much as the last one.

 _Dear Miss Smith,_

 _We have received your scholarship application for the spring semester and upon further review of it, we are pleased to inform you that your application has been accepted. Congratulations! We look forward to having you for the upcoming spring semester._

 _Best Regards,_

 _Ouran Admissions_

Accepted? But I never sent them an application for a scholarship. How could it have been approved? All of a sudden, everything hit me at once. Hold on...Does this mean...If I have an accepted scholarship application, does this mean I...I can go home? There's no way. This is all just a crazy fever dream.

I dug my fingernails into the palms of my hands until I could feel a twinge of pain. Not sleeping. Not dissociating. This is a real letter from Ouran...And I'm going home. I have a feeling someone else did my application for me and I was almost positive the two prime suspects were back at our table.

"Hey," Suspect Number One pulled me into his arms, "Is everything ok?"

"What did it say, Lana?" Suspect Number Two asked.

I wiggled out of my boyfriend's embrace and grabbed both him and his brother by their wrists with angry tears in my eyes. I dragged them outside and shook off my potential crying fit, "Both of you. Start talking. What the hell is this all about?"

"What's it say, Lana?" Yuuichi repeated himself.

"I never sent in an Ouran scholarship application," I gave him the letter, "Why would they be sending me a letter saying they got one from me anyway?"

Yuuichi sat back with a massive grin on his face, "Surprise."

"What?" Kyoya gave his brother a look, "You sent in a scholarship application for her?"

"Look, Lana," Yuuichi readjusted his glasses, "I don't know if you know this or not, but I'm actually the one that got you into Ouran Academy in the first place."

"What do you mean?" I sat on the bench outside, trying to regain my footing.

"I was talking with Amanda one day," he told, "And she asked me if I had any ideas of how to take care of one of her patients. I never thought I'd ever meet her. But I suggested traveling abroad. Something to shake your daily routine and get you away from people that weren't doing you any favors. Since you were already used to a private academy and your grades were exceptional, I made the suggestion for Ouran Academy. I didn't anticipate you falling for my younger brother or even stumbling on the host club. That was a happy accident. Funny how things work, isn't it?"

"So," I did my best to wrap my head around the situation, "This letter is real?"

"One hundred percent genuine," Yuuichi promised.

"Did you know..." I turned my attention to my boyfriend, who I knew damn well he had something to do with it, sitting next to me. However, Kyoya was probably shaking worse than I was, "Kyoya...? Kyoya, are you ok?"

"No," Yuuichi answered for him, "He didn't."

"You didn't think to tell me?" Kyoya growled at him, "You were finding a way to get my girlfriend back in the country, but telling me never crosses your mind?"

"It did," Yuuichi nodded, "But I knew you'd get too excited about it and tell Lana. So, I kept it to myself. Figured it'd be best that way."

"I'm doing all I can to keep myself from punching you, Yuuichi," the vein in Kyoya's forehead grew more and more prominent, only to throw his arms around me, "But thank you. I've been looking for a loophole in Lana's wishes for months, but using you never dawned on me."

"Has everything been taken care of already, Yuuichi?" I asked, still in shock myself, but for now, I couldn't take care of me. I had to suppress me. I had Kyoya to take care of. He needed me just as much as I needed him.

"Your apartment is the same one you stayed in last time," Yuuichi confirmed, "It's still home sweet home. I actually just talked to your old landlord this morning about the details. It's still open."

"That way," Kyoya came back, holding me tight against his chest, "I'm still just a hop, skip, and a jump away from you."

"Is it really only ten minutes away from the house?" Yuuichi wondered.

"That's the fastest I've gotten there," Kyoya confirmed, "I think my record might be seven minutes, but I was also going pretty fast, too. How I didn't get pulled over is nothing short of a miracle."

"Better ten minutes than ten hours," I nearly started crying in his shoulder, "I can't believe I'm going home."

"You know your first night back," Kyoya assured me, "Either I'm staying with you or you're staying with me, right?"

"Commoner dwellings, Kyoya?" Yuuichi gasped, "You?"

"If slumming it means sleeping with her," he cradled me, "It's not slumming it at all. It's entirely worth it."

I kissed my boyfriend's cheek and jumped into the arms of his brother, where all hell broke loose and the floodgates holding back the tears in my arms were completely obliterated, "Thank you, Yuuichi."

"You're welcome," Yuuichi hugged me tight, "You told me your best medicine was Kyoya and the boys. You rarely needed your doctor when you were in Japan. And I can still keep an eye on you if need be."

"So?" I went back to cuddling with Kyoya on the bench, "Should we go back and share the good news?"

"Yeah," Kyoya kissed my forehead, "Let's go."

He pulled me onto my feet and never let go of my hand. He didn't want to. And at this point, I couldn't blame him. I was going to be back within arm's reach of him again. And I couldn't wait to be back in Japan again. I was going to be back in Japan again...I'm going home. I'd be able to go back to the flea markets with Haruhi again. To the aquarium in Shibuya with the massive jellyfish exhibit. The cafe with the adorable mochi. To the Ouran courtyard so beautifully embedded in my skin. To...To the host club. The music room...The one that made me better...

"Hey," Haruhi chimed, "Is everything ok, Lana?"

"Yeah," my voice broke, "I have some...really good news..."

"Lana?" Kyoya started to worry about me, "Do you want me to tell them?"

"No," I felt a tear roll out of my eye, "I got it. I...I'm..."

"What is it, Lana-chan?" Honey asked.

"I'm..."

"There you are, Lana! We turned on the GPS on your phone and we've been looking everywhere for you!"

Oh, wonderful. Because I wasn't emotional enough, let's throw them in the mix. Instinctively, Kyoya took my hand under the table, "Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad."

"Who are they?" Dad asked, looking the group of boys at the table over.

"Friends from school?" Mom assumed, obviously not remembering at least Kyoya. I wouldn't have expected her to remember Honey and Mori. Dad, maybe. If memory serves, Mori kind of scared him.

"A school," I nodded, getting a tighter grip on my boyfriend's hand, "My friends from Japan decided to surprise me over break."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Smith," Yuuichi played nice, not entirely in on how my parents worked.

"Who are you?" Mom asked, almost looking disgusted, "Aren't you a little old to be hanging out with high school kids?"

"I'm actually Lana's doctor," he corrected her.

"I thought Lana's doctor was a woman," Dad pointed out, "I'm pretty sure you're not a woman, but I don't want to get close enough to find out."

"Dr. Moreno's taking care of some family problems," Yuuichi explained, "I'm a friend of hers filling in while she's gone."

"Oh," he shrugged him off, "Come on, Lana. We're getting Rhiannon and we're going to screw with the Buckingham Palace guards."

"I can't," I said shakily, "I'm kind of in the middle of something."

"You can play with your friends later," Mom promised.

"Family comes first, sweetheart," Dad backed her up, "Come on."

"We are her family," Tamaki stepped in, going damn near toe to toe with my dad.

"And which one are you?" Dad gave him a look.

"Tamaki."

"Well, Tamagotchi," Dad went on, making me almost break Kyoya's fingers, "Do you share blood with her."

"No," Tamaki bit his tongue, "But..."

"Then, you're not her family," Dad put his foot down, "Simple as that."

"That doesn't make us any less family," Tamaki got defensive, "Just because we don't have the honor and privilege of sharing blood with her, doesn't mean we haven't accepted her like family."

"That's right," Hikaru jumped in.

"It's pretty safe to say Lana's our unofficial sister," Kaoru added.

"And ours, too," Honey chimed.

"Mmhmm," Mori nodded.

"And at the end of the day," Tamaki threw his arms around my shoulders, "She's my little girl, too."

"Excuse me?" Dad didn't get as much as defensive as he did territorial, "She didn't come from you. She came from me. She's my little girl."

"Then, why the hell don't you act like it?" Tamaki snapped. That's not a pleasant sight. I didn't think I'd ever see him good and pissed off. Tamaki was always such a ray of sunshine.

"You're cute, kid," Dad blew him off, grabbing a hold of my wrist, "Come on, Lana."

"Wait," I stumbled a few steps, "I need to tell them something first."

"Hurry up," he rolled his eyes.

I finally grew the pair I needed, "I'm coming home, guys."

"What?!" The tension was quickly replaced with extreme elation.

"You're coming back to the US?" Mom figured.

"No," I shook my head, "I'm going home. I can go back to Ouran in January."

"How?" Dad wondered, "We're not paying that tuition bill."

"You don't have to," I gave him the letter Yuuichi gave me. My ticket home...

"Another scholarship?" Mom read over his shoulder.

"She's borderline genius," Yuuichi pointed out, shooting me a quick, settling wink, "I'm not surprised in the least."

"We didn't even know you applied, Lana," Dad skimmed it over, "Well, if we don't have to pay for it..."

I'm in a different country and you don't have to deal with me. I'm pretty sure you're not going to say no to that. For now, the one thing I needed right now was in front of me, "Let me stay with them for a little while longer...Please?"

"Whatever," Dad let me go, "I mean...We're only in London once a year."

"And we had to endure that seven-and-a-half-hour long flight," Mom scoffed, "But sure. You can stay with them."

And just like that, they left me in a cloud of self-loathing. Nothing I loved more than my parents' patented guilt trips that make me not want to be around the ones that loved me more than anything. And they wonder how I ended up being the way I am. One look in the damn mirror and I think they'd realize it. Unless they're really that dense and don't see it. That really wouldn't surprise me any either.

"Awesome," I slid down in my chair, letting out a heavy, exasperated sigh, "Just awesome."

"Lana, no," Kyoya stopped me, "Don't let them ruin this. You just had something wonderful happen to you, did you not?"

"Yeah," I laid in his shoulder, "By the way, thanks, boys. I appreciate you guys going up to bat for me like that."

"Anytime, Lana," Tamaki gave me a little smile.

"I'm proud of you, Lana," Kyoya gave me a quick kiss, "You worked hard to get that scholarship the first time."

"And so am I," Yuuichi put an arm around me, "You've come a long way from being the girl Amanda told me about. That girl probably would've just spiraled and wouldn't have stood up for herself like that."

"But why do I feel like hell afterward?" I grumbled.

"Because that's what they do," Yuuichi settled me, "Don't let them do that. Don't give them that kind of power."

"Think of it, Lana," Kyoya said, "Look at where you are right now. You're in a room full of people that love you. You're all cuddled up with your boyfriend who loves you more than anything. You just got the news that you'll be able to come back to the one city that makes you feel the most at home. What could possibly make this better?"

Ring, ring!

Everyone else looked down at their phones, but I knew whose phone that was. I pulled my phone out of my bag and slid my finger across the screen. There was the one thing that could possibly make this better, "Hey, Rhi."

"Hey!" Rhiannon sang on the other end, "Did Mom and Dad find you by any chance?"

"Yeah," I rested my head on Kyoya's shoulder.

"And?" she worried, "You doing ok?"

"Actually," I smiled a little, "You know that cafe I told you about? It's down the street from Big Ben?"

"Yeah," Rhiannon said, "What about it?"

"That's where they found me," I told her, "Come here. Please."

"Alright, baby," she squeaked, "On my way."

Click.

"That's what could make it better," I threw my phone back in my bag, "Rhiannon's on her way."

"Yay!" the twins harmonized.

"We get to see Rhi-chan, too?" Honey beamed.

"That's right, Honey," I sighed out, "I need tea. Kyoya, will you go get me tea?"

"Of course," Kyoya gave me a quick kiss and got up, "Jasmine, right?"

"With honey," I confirmed, "Hot enough to burn the sin out of my soul."

"There's only one sin in that soul of yours, Lana," he whispered in my ear, "And only one person in the world knows what that is."

All of the blood in my body rushed to my face, "Kyoya..."

"I'll be right back."

"Wow, Lana," Hikaru grinned darkly.

"What's got you so red?" Kaoru mirrored his brother.

"Nothing," I was going to kill him. With a paperclip.

"That's not nothing," they ganged up on me.

"Leave her alone!" Tamaki scolded them.

"Thank you, Tamaki!" I chirped.

"You're welcome."

Honestly, I was expecting Mori or Haruhi to step in for that, but Tamaki is earning the number one dad mug he got for himself today. A shame that his threats to my dad didn't have the same effect as it did on the twins, but it's not worth getting upset over. He said what he said. Maybe it'll resonate one day, but until then.

"Here, Lana," Kyoya handed me my cup.

"Thank you," I laid back in his shoulder.

"Oh, my," a familiar voice joined us, "So many beautiful boys, two beautiful girls. Where do I begin?"

"Hey, Rhi."

"Rhi-chan!" Honey jumped down from his seat and scaled my sister's leg.

"Hi, Honey!" Rhiannon snuggled him tight, "You didn't tell me the host club was here, Lana! This is a pleasant surprise!"

"They're not all host club," I assured, nodding toward Yuuichi.

"Oh, hello, nurse," she swooned.

"Doctor, actually," Yuuichi corrected her, "You must be Lana's sister."

"Rhiannon," she introduced herself with absolutely no shame as per usual.

"Dibs, Rhiannon," I stopped her, "Dibs."

"You're Kyoya's brother, right?" Rhiannon settled.

"Yuuichi," he nodded, "Why did you call me nurse?"

"Long story," I rolled my eyes, "It's a compliment. Just go with it."

"She called me nurse, too," Kyoya remembered, "Right in the hot spring in Karuizawa. You remember that, don't you, Lana?"

"Like I could ever forget Karuizawa," I had such a warm, fuzzy feeling in my heart.

"So!" Rhiannon chirped, taking a seat next to me, "What have I missed?"

"Mom and Dad being Mom and Dad," I sipped on my excruciatingly hot tea, "The boys are going to be here until New Year's."

"Fun," she smirked, "Maybe we could have another night like the last time we were together."

"You mean when Honey-senpai was taped to the ceiling?" the twins followed along Rhiannon's train of thought.

"When I was, what?" Honey squeaked, sitting in my sister's lap, "When did that happen? Why would I be taped to the ceiling?"

"Don't worry, Honey," Rhiannon hugged him, "I got you down before I went to bed."

"I remember that night now," Haruhi groaned at the memory of her bright red thong hanging from the chandelier.

"What happened?" Yuuichi worried.

"Don't ask," I shared Haruhi's sentiment, "No. Rhiannon, we learned from that. It's going to be a long time before we have a night like that again."

"That was fun," Rhiannon let out a heavy, nostalgic sigh, "Out of all the parties I've ever been to in my life, that one ranks pretty high."

"How did I get on the ceiling?" Honey whined, tears welling in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mitsukuni," Mori bit his tongue.

"Mori-senpai held you up," Hikaru recalled.

"And we taped you there," Kaoru giggled.

"Why?" Honey wept, "Why would you do that to me?"

"Because you were getting a little out of hand," the twins explained.

"Lana," Yuuichi shut them all up, "Don't you have something else you'd like to tell her?"

"That's right," I beamed, "Guess who's going back to Ouran in January?"

"Well," Rhiannon thought it over, "I'm pretty sure everyone at this table except for Honey, Mori, and Yuuichi. And me, but that's a given. And you."

"No," I shook my head, "I'm going back, too."

"You are?" she squeaked, throwing her arms around me, "Good. It's about time you get back to Tokyo. I told you it'd happen, baby. You just needed to be patient."

"I can't wait to go home..."

In that moment, everything had set in. In a short week and a half, I'm going to be on a flight back to Tokyo. I'd be back in my old apartment. I could see the ones I loved and the ones that loved me on a daily basis again. Everything was going to be ok again. And I couldn't be happier.

 **A/N: WE'RE GOING BACK TO OURAN! YAYYYYYY! I'm sure you could smell that coming from a mile away, though. You guys are smart. Or I'm just that predictable. I remember saying a couple weeks back that I couldn't keep Lana from Kyoya for long. Well…I shouldn't keep her from the entire host club for long. It's bad enough she's gone as long as she's been without them. It's nice to see the family back together. Speaking of, can we take a minute to taLK ABOUT TAMAKI IN THIS CHAPTER?! Like, holy fuck! Daddy's protective of his little girl. When he told Lana he loved her like his own daughter, he wasn't kidding. I was waiting for him to flat out deck her dad. But Tamaki doesn't get violent. The twins? Yes. Honey when he wakes up from a nap (or he's drunk…)? Yes. Mori, when the moment calls for it? Yes. Tamaki? No. Not like this. But I'm so glad she's got her makeshift family back. See you next chapter, guys. xx**


	17. New Year's Eve

Another holiday comes and goes again. I'm just glad it didn't end up with Mom and Dad in a hissy fight. Or with me getting so bad that a trip to the hospital gets threatened, but never acted upon. Even better, Rhiannon and I stood at the gate at Heathrow, ready to wave them off.

"It's been so nice seeing you again, Lana," Mom hugged me tight.

"It sucks that you're going back to Japan, though," Dad pouted, "I was really hoping you were coming back to the US to finish out your senior year."

"No," I shook my head, "I'll probably come back to the US for college, though."

"Yay!" he chimed, "At least you'll be in the same country."

"We should get going," Mom let me go, "Rhiannon, you're going to keep an eye on her, right?"

"When haven't I?" Rhiannon pulled me to her hip, "Yeah. I'll be on this side of the world for a while yet."

"Carlos can't hold things up on his own forever," she pointed out.

"I'm not his only other artist," Rhiannon scoffed, "He's got more. I'm sure I got appointments waiting for me when I get back, but I got it, Mother."

"Bye!" Mom and Dad boarded their flight and Rhiannon and I took off in a cab back to the hotel.

"You know, Lana," she nudged me, "NYU has a hell of an arts department."

"I don't even know if I want to go to college," I admitted, "I'm sure I probably should."

"I didn't," Rhiannon shrugged, "I turned out ok. I mean...I know a few NYU professors, but not because I took their class."

"That's nice, Rhiannon," I cringed.

"Think about it," she went off into her own little world, "You become an arts major at NYU, you could come work in my shop and live with me."

"It's bad enough you want Kyoya working in your shop," I giggled, "Besides, my drawing skills compared to his and yours? They're crap and you know it."

"Doesn't mean you can't get better," my sister threw me into a cab, "If you want, I'll even show you some things."

"I don't think I have steady enough hands for something like that."

"It's learned," Rhiannon was ready to punch me, "Come on. Isn't there a bunch of boys that are ridiculously in love with you and their secret princess somewhere left unattended in this city?"

"And Kyoya doesn't mix well with jet lag," I bit my lip, "I'm sure he's ready to throw Tamaki into the Thames and watch him float into the sunset by now."

That was how our week went. Running around London with my favorite host club, my beautiful boyfriend, my wonderful sister. It was like playing in Tokyo only I knew where everything was and they were completely clueless. A whole week of shenanigans with the family. It all felt like such a dream. Since the moment they touched down. Since I got that picture of Big Ben from Kyoya. Since Honey attached himself to my leg. Since I got that letter from Ouran Admissions from Yuuichi. If this was a dream, I never wanted to wake up. Let me sleep just a little while longer.

When I woke up, it had reached New Year's Eve and I had Kyoya's arms wrapped around me and his warm body pressed against my back. Like he was guarding me from any sort of evil that wanted to get me. I think after our stint in Karuizawa, he's all the more protective of me while I slept. However, when I woke up, he was still sleeping like a baby. Weird. I was never up before Kyoya. Nevertheless, there was a knock at the door and I wasn't going to wake him. I got out of bed in one of Kyoya's t-shirts and a hoody and looked through the peephole.

"Hi, Tamaki," I opened the door, still half asleep, "What do you want?"

"Lana!" his nose started gushing blood and he covered his eyes, "What are you doing in Kyoya's room?"

"I was sleeping," I rubbed my eyes, "Unless you want to see what the Shadow King's queen looks like."

"No!" Tamaki avoided eye contact, "But um...Could you please put more on?"

"Whatever," I grabbed a hoody out of the closet, "I'm too tired for your spazz, Tamaki. If you didn't want anything, wipe the blood from your nose and leave."

"No," he came in, "I did actually have something to tell you."

"And what's that?"

"We're doing breakfast together," Tamaki could finally look me in the eye again and not go into a volcanic nosebleed, "We were going to send Haruhi into your dorm to get you, but two birds, I guess."

"How did you not know I'd be here?" I gave him a look, "And you can't tell me that Haruhi isn't staying in your room."

"We're talking about you, not me," he scolded.

"But with the times Kyoya and I have been at each other's houses," I pointed out, "And the time we spent in Karuizawa before you guys even knew we were a thing. My god, Tamaki, it's a good thing you're pretty."

"I am rather beautiful," he swooned over himself, "I see you've taken notice."

"Your host charms don't work on me, sweetie," I shut him down, "Kyoya's host charms don't even work on me."

"So," Tamaki snapped out of his narcissism, "Are you and Kyoya coming to breakfast or not?"

"Hold on," I hushed him, "I'll ask."

"They're all waiting in the lobby," he hurried me.

"Kyoya," I crawled back into bed, speaking softly to him, "Kyoya..."

"What, Lana?" Kyoya cuddled me, "Is everything alright?"

"Family breakfast," I asked, "You in?"

"What time is it?"

"Ten o'clock," I kissed his cheek.

"Fine," Kyoya cradled my face in his hand, his eyes slowly opening, "Hey, Lana..."

"What?"

He ran his hand up my leg and up to my thigh, "Never mind. I answered my own question."

"Tamaki's already here," I moved him along, "And all the others are waiting in the lobby."

"Except for Rhiannon!" Tamaki called from the door, "I was too scared to get Rhiannon on my own."

"We'll be down in a minute," Kyoya yelled at him, "Now, go away."

Not another word needed to be said. Tamaki had the door shut tight and was probably halfway down the hall by now. Kyoya could be rather menacing when he first woke up. This must be the Shadow King I've heard so much about. Not going to lie, he was kind of hot. All that aside, though, I cuddled back into my boyfriend's chest, ready to go back to sleep myself.

"You know," Kyoya grumbled, feeling around on the nightstand for his glasses, "We'll probably do this all the time once we get back home."

"I still can't believe I'm going back home," I admitted, still not sure if this was actually a dream or not.

"You're not mad about me knowing about Yuuichi," he worried, "Are you?"

"Of course not," I assured, "Yuuichi was a very welcomed friend. But you really had nothing to do with my scholarship?"

"Nothing," Kyoya promised, "You told me you didn't want me paying your tuition. I respected your wishes."

"Thank you," I buried my face in his chest, "I can't wait for us to go home."

"Me either," he pulled my chin up, "God, you're beautiful when you wake up, Lana."

"I look like actual toxic waste," I blushed.

"Lana..." Kyoya scolded.

"Sorry," I knew exactly what I had done wrong. I insulted his girlfriend. He gets bitchy when people do that, "I'm going to go take a shower."

"Go ahead," he let me go, being a little cheeky this morning, "Mind if I join you?

"You know damn well what I'm going to say to that," I chuckled a little at his boldness, "Get me something to wear instead."

"It'd be my pleasure."

The water felt hot enough to burn the sin out of my soul, just like a good cup of tea. Unfortunately, we didn't have any teabags left in our room. I had all of them last night. All of my tea was still at my dorm in my room and it seemed like too big of a hassle to go all the way to my room just for tea when our hotel had the good stuff, too. When I got out, Kyoya had my clothes meticulously folded on the counter in the order I'd usually put them on. Mildly obsessive compulsive, maybe? Kyoya and I never did swap diagnosis lists.

Once we were ready, Kyoya and I went into the hall to find the rest of the host club outside our door, waiting patiently. Yeah. I wasn't dreaming. Something tells me that if I were, Rhiannon would already be out here. But like Tamaki said, he was too scared to knock on Rhiannon's door. I had a feeling that I was going to be one to do that.

"Morning, boys," I chimed with Kyoya still not completely there yet. Poor baby needed some instant coffee in his vein.

One single drop of blood came out of Tamaki's nose as his face turned the same shade of red. It was enough for his girlfriend to take notice, "Senpai? You ok?"

"Yeah," he squeaked out.

"He'll be fine," I explained, "The same thing happened when Tamaki caught a glimpse of my panties this morning."

"What?" Kyoya might have been half dead, but he was there enough for that.

"What'd they look like, boss?" the twins begged Tamaki for an answer…only for my boyfriend to drive his fists into the tops of their heads.

"So what?" Haruhi brushed it off, "They're panties. I don't get the obsession."

"They're boys," I giggled, "They have their moments. And they were light pink with hot pink strawberries on them."

"Cute," she approved.

"Right?" I chirped, "Thank you, Kyoya!"

"You're welcome," Kyoya pulled me back to his side while Hikaru and Kaoru were nursing the growing bumps on their heads, "All we're missing is Rhiannon then?"

"Where is Rhi-chan's room?" Honey asked.

"She's just down the hall," I remembered. She switched hotels after Mom and Dad left and decided to treat herself to the one Haruhi and the boys were staying in. I pounded on her door, "Rhiannon! Get up!"

"Good morning!" she opened her door.

"You're awfully happy," I wondered, "You're never a morning person, Rhiannon. What's the occasion?"

"What's not to be happy about?" Rhiannon sang, "My sister's got her friends back. I've been getting some regularly since I got here. It's a great day to be alive."

"Stay classy, Rhi," I rolled my eyes.

"So!" she went on, "What's up? What's the occasion my favorites are at my door?"

"Are you coming to breakfast with us, Rhi-chan?" Honey asked, holding her hand.

"I can't really say no to that face, can I?" Rhiannon folded like a cheap suit when it came to Honey. She had a serious weak spot for him and I couldn't blame her, "Family breakfast?"

"Family breakfast," I nodded, "Shall we?"

"On my way!"

Either Elliot visited Rhiannon last night or he snuck out early this morning. But I knew damn well that if I were to go to the pub right now, he wouldn't be there. Rhiannon's weak spot might have been Honey, but Elliot's weak spot was Rhiannon. And if Rhiannon ever caught feelings for him and they ended up a thing on a not so casual basis, I'd be ok with that. Regardless, I was starving and breakfast sounded like a good idea.

Many cafés covered London's landscape and I had a couple that I frequented so much that they knew what my order was as soon as I sat down. Unfortunately, the one I went to the most was closed until after New Year's Day, so we had to settle for one just off the campus of my old school. Most of the more popular kids hung out here and I never thought I was cool enough, but since I was with the coolest kids in school (not necessarily that particular school), I think it was time I see what the fuss is about.

"So!" Rhiannon declared, "What are the New Year's plans? We have to be doing something."

"It's funny you mention that, Rhiannon," Tamaki grinned, "Because we're upgrading our rooms and getting a penthouse suite!"

First I was hearing of this…Would've been nice if Kyoya would've told me. But it didn't go unnoticed, "Hell yeah! Tonight's going to kick ass and take names! Beautiful way to ring in the New Year!"

"Rhiannon…" I settled her, glaring through my sister's soul.

"What?"

"You know what." It's pretty sad when I have to use a mom voice on my sister that's fifteen and a half years older than me.

"Come on, Lana," Rhiannon popped me in the shoulder, "It's New Year's. Live a little. And you act like it's such a big deal. You get lazy. Honey gets scrappy. Mori gets chatty. The twins get even worse than they already are."

"Hey!" they chimed in unison.

"Tamaki gets giggly," she brushed them off, "Haruhi turns into a stripper. Kyoya gets cuddly. I see no harm here. One little drink isn't going to kill us. Champagne on New Year's is traditional anyway."

"She has a point, Lana," Kyoya sided with her, "Besides, you're adorable when you're drunk. You really do turn into a cat."

"When did Haruhi turn into a stripper?" Hikaru thought back.

"Rhiannon!" Haruhi practically crawled under the table, "What the hell?"

"Those weren't my panties on the chandelier," Rhiannon defended herself.

"Rhiannon!" she turned bright red…kind of like her panties on the chandelier.

"Welcome to what I've been dealing with since day one," I jabbed, "You get used to her, Haruhi. But seriously, though, Rhiannon. Leave her alone."

"Fine," Rhiannon obliged, "Does that mean we can go through with the plans for tonight?"

As much as I hated to do this, "One drink. And we're not leaving the room."

"Fine by me!" she jumped up, "I'm going to go score."

"I'm going to go make our upgrade," Kyoya kissed my cheek.

I needed more tea. If Rhiannon had what I think she had planned, I was going to need all the tea I could get. She did promise me only one drink. If it wasn't a formality, Kyoya wouldn't have agreed to it. I've never had champagne before. All I've drank in my life was vodka and it was usually mixed with Capri-Sun. Mmm…I could hate what they did to me and my friends all I wanted, but I had to admit…It was pretty damn good.

As soon as night fell over London, we all went back to the hotel and into our penthouse suite. My dear god…When Tamaki said we were upgrading, he wasn't joking. This really was an upgrade. We already had a bottle of champagne on ice plus the one Rhiannon had gotten for us. Then again, I don't think she left anything left in the liquor store. A moment we'll never remember and a night we'll never forget, I'm sure.

This whole room dripped with luxury. The TV was bigger than my future and the kitchen was a full-scale kitchen. I've never seen that in a hotel before. I could comfortably live here for the rest of my life. And the whole place was gorgeously decorated in bright white and reflective gold. This room was a rapper's wet dream.

"Hey, Lana!" Rhiannon called from the living room, "Do you know what champagne flutes look like?"

"Yes!" I brought nine glasses out for us, "Are you pouring?"

"Sure am!" she popped the cork out of the bottle.

"You did that like an old pro, Rhiannon," Hikaru praised.

"This isn't your first time doing this, is it?" Kaoru assumed.

"I have hosted many a New Year's party," Rhiannon admitted, filling each glass, "And I remember most of them fondly."

"And the others?"

"The others," she chuckled to herself, "I simply don't remember. My first New Year's party was definitely one of them. I don't remember much from it, but I was about seventeen. Lana was two. Mom and Dad didn't know I was going out that night. My boyfriend was five years older than I was, so he got me a bottle of Boone's Farm on a regular basis. But for New Year's that year, he brought me to a party at one of his friends' houses and I was probably the youngest there. Everyone thought it'd be hilarious to feed the baby of the group shots left and right. And I wasn't going to say no. Little did they know, baby girl could hold her liquor. But I ended up drunk dialing home at two in the morning and our mom picked up. Lana wasn't going to sleep and she was trying everything, so when I called, I asked her to come pick me up. She brought her two-year-old baby to pick up her drunk, seventeen-year-old disappointment. I sang to you in the backseat, Lana."

"You did?" Over the years, I heard a lot about Rhiannon's drunk escapades, but this was a story I never heard before.

"Oh yeah," Rhiannon nodded, "I sat in the backseat with you and I sang you Welcome to the Black Parade while Mom was bitching at me for sneaking out. It got you to go to sleep."

"That's so sweet," Tamaki awed.

"Oh, that's nothing." And Rhiannon's sentimentality was gone as she passed the champagne around, "New Year's when I turned sixteen, I lost my virginity when the ball dropped."

"I like the other one better," I cringed, "That one had baby me in it."

"The other one had baby you in it, too," she pointed out, "Only you were asleep a few rooms down while Mom and Dad were throwing New Year's downstairs."

"A toast then?" I assumed, "That's how these kinds of things work?"

"Definitely," Rhiannon raised her glass, "To the New Year!"

"To Lana coming home!" Tamaki beamed.

"I suppose," Hikaru started.

"We'll have to throw another party then, too," Kaoru grinned.

"That's debatable," I decided.

"It's a maybe!"

"To all of us," I toasted, already feeling the emotions rising, "To Tamaki for taking me in that day…To Hikaru and Kaoru for pushing my limits…To Honey for always making me smile…To Mori for keeping my secret…To Haruhi for keeping me grounded…To Kyoya for making sure I always feel loved and safe no matter what…"

"Lana," Kyoya melted, holding me tight.

"You guys took in a piece of trash like me," I choked out, "And convinced her she was a princess. I have a little confession to make."

"Lana," he stopped me, "You don't have to do that."

Kyoya knew exactly what I wanted to say. And by the look on Mori's face, he knew, too. Rhiannon, too. But he had a point. And my eyes sprung a leak, "I love all of you so very much…"

"We love you, too, Lana," Tamaki led the group hug that enveloped my little body.

"Come on, kids," Rhiannon wiped my eyes, then her own, "This is supposed to be a happy occasion, dammit. Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"Kanpai!"

 **A/N: I'm going to be honest. Writing Lana's toast made me tear up so hard. But! On the plus side, Lana's parents are back in the states. AND! Next week's chapter is going to make me so happy. It's going to be on the more…ahem…adult side. Not in the wink wonk, smut kind of way. It's just going to be a little on the racy side. I had someone in Kiss Kiss once tell me they wanted to see more of Haruhi's drunksona. We didn't get to really** ** _see_** **any of them drunk. That whole chapter was based on Rhiannon's flashbacks. Next week…Next week is just going to be a really fun chapter. Brace yourselves, children. For this is the calm before the storm. See you next chapter. xx**


	18. Rhiannon Lee, Not Again

**A/N: Hi, guys! So, at the end of last week's chapter, I hinted around this week's chapter being a little more adult than the past chapters have been. From April 19** **th** **, 2016 when I posted the first chapter of Kiss, Kiss to last week's update. This is definitely going to be the most adult chapter and it's completely intended. There will be some adult content. It's mostly a language thing, but I'm not going to up the rating because this is the only time it's going to show things like this in the entire series, but just so you know. You've been warned. And now, without further ado, we have the Ouran Host Club: After Dark.**

I know I said only one drink, but there was no saying no to Rhiannon. She had plenty to go around. So what if one drink turned into three or four? Or six...But who was I to judge? We were all having a good time in a safe and secure environment. Rhiannon wouldn't let anything bad happen to us on her watch. I'm sure we're fine.

"You guys," Rhiannon whined, "Sitting around like this is maddening. Don't get me wrong. BS-ing with you guys is always a delight, but I want to do something!"

"Well then, Rhiannon," I asked, "What do you propose we do?"

"I'm glad you asked!" she chirped, jumping up from her chair, "Because I need to know exactly how screwed up each one of you are."

"Why?" Tamaki wondered, staring off into space.

"I brought a little black box," my sister dug through her luggage.

"Rhiannon Lee," I worried, "What did you bring? When you say you have a black box in your bag, it makes me nervous."

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls," Rhiannon put the box in the middle of the table, "We're in the process of getting wildly intoxicated. Let's play a rousing game of Cards Against Humanity."

"That sounds horrifying," I agreed, "Let's do it!"

"I've never played before," Tamaki carefully inspected the box," Is this a commoner's game? Haruhi, you're a commoner! Have you ever heard of this?"

"I've never played before," Haruhi sat in her boyfriend's lap, already down to a tank top.

"We're in," the twins sang.

"Us, too!" Honey squeaked.

"Seems interesting enough," Kyoya wrapped his arms around me, "How do we play, Rhiannon?"

"The rules are simple," Rhiannon explained, dealing the white cards with the precision of a blackjack dealer in Vegas, "We get ten white cards each. The judge plays a black card while the others take a card from their hand and play whichever one they think best fits the black card. This is not a game for truly good people. With some of our answers, we may not be able to look each other in the eye for a while."

"But isn't that every time we get drunk together?" I jabbed.

"True," she giggled, "Any questions? And if there are any cards that you don't know what they mean, feel free to ask me."

"We got it," I nodded, picking up my hand, "Let's play!"

"Alright then, children," Rhiannon drew a black card, "Why am I sticky? Pander to me!"

Let's see...Rhiannon. I know her, I love her. Why would she be sticky? Honestly, the only thing that would be making her sticky would be her lash glue, but unfortunately, I don't have anything for that. Did I want to go the real route, though, or did I want to go the disgusting route? Because I knew Rhiannon better than anyone at this table. I know she's going to pick something disgusting.

"Uh, Rhi-chan," Honey nudged her, "I have a card that I don't know what it means."

"What's that, sweetie?"

"What's a handjob?"

The entire room went silent as we all stared in awe at what just came out of Honey's mouth. The sound of a pin dropping would come off as a nuclear missile at this point. My sister pulled the sweet, innocent, naive, little host into her lap, "This game is going to ruin him."

"What's it mean?" Honey asked again.

"Well, Honey," Rhiannon whispered in his ear what his card meant. Along with some hand gestures that can't be unseen, "There. Does than answer your question?"

"I think so," Honey came out of that a bright shade of red and solumnly played his card.

"Are we all in then?" she asked, pulling eight white cards into her hand.

"I think so," I checked everyone's hands.

"Wonderful!" Rhiannon read, "Why am I sticky? Lunchables! I haven't had Lunchables in years and for some reason, that sounds fantastic. Elderly Japanese men? Eww..."

"Why do they have to be elderly?" the twins cringed, more in sync than they usually were.

"God only knows," she went on, "A dollop of sour cream. Wouldn't really make me sticky, but ok. Space Jam on VHS. Oh, hell yeah. That sounds like a good way to kill the afternoon. Tentacle porn. Also a good way to kill an afternoon, if you're into that sort of thing."

"Rhiannon!" Tamaki squeaked, "What kind of filthy commoner's game is this?"

"The greatest," Rhiannon giggled, "Why am I sticky? Demonic possession. Already the queen, but here nor there. Aww...A really cool hat. Or a fifty-five-gallon drum of lube. Not bad for your first round, guys. I still think some of you are holding back, though. The point of the game is to make us all feel like we're going to Hell by the end."

"There's always next round," I chimed with a blinding optimism.

"Lube doesn't make you sticky," she ran through her options, "That's the aftermath of what you're putting the lube on."

"Rhiannon..." I refilled my glass, having switched to tequila.

"The really cool hat gave me a cheap giggle," Rhiannon smiled, "Space Jam, while the zenith of Michael Jordan's career, doesn't really do much for me in the sticky department. Elderly Japanese men might work. Tentacle porn is just...I have my limits, guys. Even I can't get into tentacle porn. Let's go with elderly Japanese men!"

"Yay!" Haruhi took the black card.

"Really?" Tamaki's mouth hung open. At one point, I think Mori was trying to shoot little marshmallows into it.

"What?" she shrugged, "I want to win, too."

"That's what I love about this game," Rhiannon grinned, "It always shows which one of us is a total sociopath and which ones are perverts."

"What's the matter, Senpai?" Haruhi ran her finger down Tamaki's jawline, cradling his face in her hand, "Didn't think I had it in me?"

"Daddy is a little disappointed in his little girl," he quivered beneath her delicate touch, "But I knew you could do it."

"That's right," she laid her head on his shoulder and kissed his cheek.

"Lana, you're up!" Rhiannon slid the deck to me.

"Ok," I drew a black card and read it aloud, "During sex, I like to think about blank. Why did I have to get this card?"

"Just shut up and accept your destiny," my sister thumbed through her white cards, slamming one down on the table.

"What would you think about during sex, Lana?" Hikaru asked.

"If she was getting any," Rhiannon teased.

"Dude!" I squealed while my boyfriend sat idly by, watching the storm unfold, "And THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS! Kyoya..."

"Hold on," Kyoya played his card and knocked Hikaru upside his head.

"Thank you!"

"What the hell, Kyoya-senpai?" Hikaru rubbed his injury.

"You had it coming," Kyoya justified.

"He had it coming," I agreed.

"He only had himself to blame," Rhiannon joined in.

"No," I shut her down, "We're not doing this, Rhiannon."

"Doing what?" she wondered so innocently, "If you'd have been there, if you'd have seen it..."

"Rhiannon Lee, we are not going Cell Block Tango."

"I thought that sounded familiar," Mori assumed. Never would've taken him to be the type for musicals, but stranger things have happened, I guess.

"I bet that you would've done the same!" my sister blurted out, "If that would've stayed locked inside, I would've had an aneurysm and you know it."

"All the cards are in, Lana," Kaoru settled us.

"During sex," I read, "I like to think about republicans? No. I like to think about nipple blades? What kind of kinky stuff do you guys think I'm into?!"

"When this is all done," Rhiannon giggled, "I want to know who played nipple blades."

"During sex," I went on, "I like to think about some goddamn peace and quiet. I wouldn't mind that right about now."

"We love you, Lana," my sister kissed my cheek.

"Debatable," I continued, "During sex, I like to think about a sad handjob. That defeats the purpose. During sex, I like to think about a big, black...MY GOD!"

"That's fantastic," Rhiannon doubled over with laughter...as did the twins...Not surprised.

"No!" I cringed, "During sex, I like to think about Grandpa's ashes? No! And our grandpa was cremated! What is wrong with all of you?!"

"Oh, the spirit of Cards Against Humanity..."

"Rhiannon, I'm going to kill you once this is all over."

"No, you're not."

"Keep reading, Lana," Kyoya insisted. The only one in the entire room that would know what I think about during sex.

"During sex," I bit my lip, "I like to think about sunshine and rainbows. Ok. That's a little better. During sex, I like to...aww..."

"What is it, Lana-chan?" Honey asked.

"During sex," I read, "I like to think about teaching a robot to love. That one's sweet...That one's the winner."

"If you think about it, Lana," Tamaki pointed out, "You did teach a robot to love."

"Are you calling me a robot, Tamaki?" Kyoya sounded a little hurt.

"You were more of a robot before Lana than what you were after."

"Well," Kyoya mulled it over, kissing me gently, "I guess she did teach a robot to love. And I hope that's what's she's thinking about during sex. So, yes. She did teach a robot to love. And she also gave him the point."

"I thought that was you," I gave him the black card.

"I love you, Lana," he nuzzled his face in my neck, "I love you so much."

I knew it was the booze talking, but I loved when Kyoya got all affectionate. And the fact that he was doing it in front of his friends with absolutely no shame warmed my heart even more. Then again, he did that on a regular basis with other girls since the host club's conception, so…No surprise there. But it's nice to think about.

"I love you, too," I gave Kyoya the black deck, "And it's your turn."

"What is the next Happy Meal toy?" Kyoya put his black card down. I knew mine was stupid, but it was worth it. Just to hear Kyoya read it.

"I got a really wicked case of the munchies, guys," Rhiannon chimed, "What do we have for snacks here?"

"Why don't you just order pizza like a normal human being?" I asked.

"That sounds magical," she groaned, "Does Elliot deliver?"

"I don't think so."

"Dammit!" Then, a dirty little grin flashed on my sister's face, "He'd deliver for me. And there are way too many porn plots that start that way."

"Rhiannon," I smacked her with my cards, "No."

"Just order room service," Tamaki insisted, "They'll bring you anything. This room's on the host club's charge account."

"Beautiful!" Rhiannon grabbed the nearest hotel phone and it really wouldn't surprise me if she was going to order the whole menu.

"Are we all in?" Kyoya did a quick count of the cards, "What's the next Happy Meal toy? A tiny horse…Really? A tiny horse?"

"Keep going," I nudged him.

"Fiery poops," he cringed, "That's lovely. That's not something I want to give to children. A homoerotic volleyball montage?"

"That sounds like an anime waiting to happen," Hikaru giggled.

"That good, quality yaoi," Kaoru joined in.

"Harry Potter erotica?" Kyoya stared at the card, "I don't think so. Daddy issues. That's hitting a bit too close to home. Funky fresh rhymes. I hate myself for even saying it. Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch?"

"Who's that?" Honey wondered.

"Before your time," Rhiannon came back, "Way before your time. And if I got nachos, would anybody else eat them? Because I'm going to be a fat ass and enjoy them all to myself."

"And a nineteenth century English nobleman naked?" Kyoya put the cards down, "That's oddly specific. And a bit unsettling. Why would that be a Happy Meal toy?"

"I don't know," I yawned, resting my head on Kyoya's shoulder.

"The only thing that makes sense is the tiny horse," he picked, putting the rest of the white cards back in the box.

"I knew you loved me," Tamaki could hardly keep himself together, "I want a tiny horse."

"I want you to be my tiny horse," Haruhi spoke softly, "Do you want to be my tiny horse?"

"Oh, my…" Tamaki blushed.

"Come on, Senpai," she seduced him, "Come be my not so tiny horse."

"We're out!" Tamaki threw his cards and carried Haruhi on his back, "Good night!"

Slam!

"He's a complete slave to her," Hikaru pointed out.

"Can you blame him, though?" his doppelganger agreed, "With how long he's been after her?"

"That kind of love must be nice," Mori sighed out.

"One day, Mori," Rhiannon comforted, draping her arm around him, "We'll all have it one day. But until then, at least we have each other."

"Rhiannon," I scolded, "Keep it in your pants."

"I got Elliot for that," she reminded me, so kindly, "I mean, don't get me wrong. I like them younger, but I do have a limit."

"Let's keep playing then," Honey chimed, "It's your turn, Takashi."

"What left this stain on my couch?" Mori threw the card in the middle of the table. It wasn't long before everyone's cards were in again, "What left this stain on my couch? Incest…"

Five of the seven of us remaining slowly turned our attention to our favorite pair of twins, "What are you giving us that look for?"

"Isn't that your entire thing?" Kyoya asked.

"He's got a point," Kaoru agreed.

"Yeah," Hikaru nodded, "That'd definitely leave stains on the couch."

"What left this stain on my couch?" Mori read the next card, "Explosions, the Kool-Aid man, a cooler full of organs, civilian casualties, or poor life decisions."

"You know, Mori," Rhiannon cuddled up to him, "You kind of sound like the Kool-Aid man."

"No, I don't," he shook his head.

"Will you say 'oh, yeah' for me?" she begged.

"No," Mori shot her down, "Civilian casualties wins it. Which one of you thinks I'm a serial killer?"

"It's not mine," I said.

"Not mine either," Kyoya assured.

"Or me," Rhiannon got up to get her nachos.

"Not us either," the twins put their cards down.

"Mitsukuni," Mori looked down in his lap to see Honey's head on his thigh and his eyes shut.

"Looks like it's Honey-senpai's point," Kyoya assumed.

"I'm going to go put him to bed," Mori scooped the little host up into his arms.

"Why?" Hikaru and Kaoru whined.

"Do either one of you want to wake him?" That sounded more like a threat than anything else.

"No."

"That's why," Mori took Honey to their room and left us alone while some strange noises came from down the hall.

"Hey," Hikaru smirked, "You hear that?"

"I'd rather not," I cringed, trying to get the mental image out of my head.

"Good for you, Haruhi," Rhiannon murmured through a mouthful of nachos, "We don't ask about the weird noises that come from Mommy and Daddy's room, kids."

"Rhiannon," I gagged, "Considering the way the host club is, really bad choice of words."

"Daddy can screw around on Mommy," Kyoya allowed, cradling me against his chest, "That's no problem."

"Hey!" Rhiannon squeaked, "It's almost midnight! Where's Honey and Mori?"

"Mori went to put Honey in bed," I told her, "He passed out."

"I noticed that earlier," she awed, "I wasn't going to say anything."

"How long, Rhiannon?" Kyoya asked.

"Thirty seconds," Rhiannon got our champagne flutes, filling them back up, "Last call, guys."

"What do we drink to this time around?" I asked, holding my glass in the air.

"To the ones that survived until midnight!" she toasted.

"Kanpai!" we all clinked our glasses.

"And in three…two…one…" Rhiannon beamed, "Happy New Year, bitches!"

Kyoya dipped me, kissing me more passionately than I've ever had him kiss me before. This was different. This kiss…It felt like the last one he'd ever give me. But I knew better. This wasn't a kiss goodbye. But the screams coming from the other room kind of killed the moment, "Do they not realize the walls are paper thin?"

"Apparently not," Kyoya hugged me, "I love you. I love you so much, Lana. It's almost criminal."

"I love you, too, Kyoya," I kept his arm around my shoulders, "Let's go to bed."

"Ok." A part of me wanted to crash on the couch, but I knew damn well we had a nice, big, comfortable bed waiting for us. And it wasn't going to take either one of us much to go to sleep. Once I had my head on Kyoya's chest and he had his arms around me, it was lights out for both of us.

However, when I woke up the next morning, it was just like last time. Only I knew where I was and who I was with and exactly what happened the night before. There was no memory gap, so I had that going for me. All I needed to take care of was my throbbing headache and my dehydration. Before that was even addressed, I felt a twitch beneath me.

"Lana…"

"Yeah, baby?" I rubbed my eyes.

"Why do we do this to ourselves?" Kyoya whined.

"I don't know," I cuddled into his ribs, "A temporary state of euphoria?"

"I'm not awake enough for clinical terms," he kissed the top of my head, "Nor do I feel well enough."

"I completely understand," I sympathized, "It was fun while it lasted, though."

"It was," he agreed, "Do you smell that?"

"Yeah," I could feel my mouth watering, "What is that?"

"It smells like something deep fried," Kyoya thought, "But there's something sweet in there, too."

"Shall we go investigate?" I asked.

"Might as well."

Kyoya and I got out of bed still half asleep in search of the delightful smells coming from the kitchen. If last time we did this was any indication, this could only be the work of one person. And I knew for a fact that after spending a summer with her, she was a hell of a cook. God bless you, Rhiannon Lee. You know how to take care of a penthouse full of hungover teenagers like no one else I know.

"Good morning!" my sister chimed. By the sounds of it, Rhiannon's on her sixth pot of coffee.

"Rhi," I worried, "How long have you been up?"

"A while," she danced around the kitchen like Snow White, "I made breakfast."

"I see that," I looked over the massive spread on the island. Biscuits and gravy…Chicken and waffles…Pancakes the size of my head. Have I ever mentioned how much I love my sister? Because right now, I really love my sister. I hated that she wasn't as hungover as I was, but she also had a tolerance.

"It looks incredible," Kyoya drooled just as much as I did, "You didn't have to do this, Rhiannon."

"I felt like cooking," she shrugged, "A simple thank you will do."

"Thank you," I hugged my sister tight.

"You're welcome, sweetie," Rhiannon kissed the top of my head, "That's what I'm here for."

"Morning," Haruhi shuffled out with Tamaki behind her. I could tell they weren't feeling too hot either.

"Morning," Rhiannon beamed, "Panties in an unorthodox place, Haruhi?"

"No," she groaned into the counter top, "Unless you want to count the lamp."

"Well," Rhiannon asked, "You guys hungry? Want some breakfast? God knows there's plenty here."

"Yes please," Tamaki took a spot at the island next to his girlfriend while another pair shuffled out of their room.

"Morning, boys," Rhiannon sang.

"Morning, Rhiannon," Hikaru and Kaoru greeted her. Oh, my…

"You two forget something?" she asked, noticing how topless those two were.

"Nope!"

"Good morning, Mori," I distracted myself. He had Honey still clocked out on his shoulders.

"Morning, Mori," Rhiannon smiled.

"Mmm…" Mori was just as out of it as the rest of us.

"Good morning," a sweet little voice chimed, "Rhi-chan, what's all this about?"

"It's breakfast," she told him as Mori put him back on his feet, "You want some?"

"Yes, please," Honey laid his head on Rhiannon's hip.

"Not feeling too good, sweetie?" she worried.

"No…"

"What would you lightweights do without me…?"

 **A/N: We needed a nice chapter again. Although, they are all kind of dead, but the host club after they've had a few is always a delight. Also, for those of you that have never seen Hosts Against Humanity or Butlers Against Humanity, do yourself a favor. Because there's a few references from that in here and I want you to be in on the lols. Especially the nineteenth century English nobleman. That one's a favorite. And I want you to imagine 1.) Kyoya saying 'funky fresh rhymes'. You're welcome. And 2.) sweet, innocent, lovable little Honey asking about what a handjob is. That part made me nearly pee myself and I thought to myself, "Lumi, you know you're going to hell for this." This chapter is a delight and possibly one of my favorites. Now, as for what's to come? Well…It's a new year, isn't it? A clean slate. See you next chapter! xx**


	19. Are We There Yet?

London was always good to me. This will always be one of those places I considered home. Even though I had to say goodbye. On the bright side, by the morning, I'd be on my way back to my favorite home. My favorite place in the whole world. Although, this goodbye would still prove bittersweet. Especially when we all decided to go to the pub for one last time.

Out of everywhere in London, the pub was sacred. Like going to church, but the pub offered more of a comfort. It had everything I needed to feel better. My lemonade, my lamb, my chips, my Welsh cakes, and my Elliot. Life essentials. The only thing the pub was usually missing was my sister and my host club, but even tonight, I'd have that. Weird, sitting at a table, though. Every other time I came in here, I sat at the bar, but the table was nice, considering the company.

"You know," Tamaki chimed, "We really should come to London more often."

"You guys won't have a reason to anymore," I pointed out, "Damn, I can't wait to get home."

"Me either," Kyoya pulled me to his hip, never wanting to let me go.

"I'm really going to miss you, Lana," Elliot sighed out, "Do you really have to go?"

"I love you, Elliot," I assured, "But yes. I need to go like you wouldn't believe."

"Just..." he held my hand, "Promise you'll come back every now and then, eh?"

"I'll be back in a few months," I swore.

"And you'll take care of her, right, Kyoya?"

"Of course," Kyoya promised, "But I'm sure I can speak for everyone at this table when I say that we all will, yes?"

"I'm insulted you had to ask," Tamaki pouted.

"You should've seen it, Elliot," I felt a warmth radiating through my body, "Tamaki stood toe to toe with my dad."

"What?" Elliot gasped.

"Yeah," Rhiannon gave me a look, "When were you planning on telling me this?"

"That was great restraint on my part," Tamaki grumbled, "It's a shame I had to be the one to tell him that."

"Tamaki was ready to tear into him," I told, "But, of course, Dad being Dad, it didn't sink in."

"Like a rabid dog in a junkyard," Kyoya added.

"Back up here," Rhiannon tried to wrap her head around things, "Start from the beginning. What happened?"

"We were all sitting around the cafe," I began, "Everything was cool. We were talking, hanging out, having a good old time. They had just gotten here."

"To be fair, Lana," Kyoya corrected me, "We had probably been here for a solid hour before I texted you."

"So, you had just gotten here," I went on, "Anyway, everything was peachy. Yuuichi had brought me my acceptance letter back to Ouran. We were celebrating. That's when Mom and Dad showed up."

"And the monkey wrench was thrown," Rhiannon assumed.

"Precisely," I nodded, "That's when things took a bit of a turn. You know how I feel about my host club, Rhi."

"Oh yeah," she understood, "These are your boys and your best friend. This is your sanctuary right here."

"And Mom and Dad were trying to take me away from that," I cringed, "If there is one rule we hold the most sacred here."

"Don't take Lana away from us," Kyoya nuzzled his face in my neck.

"That's right," I confirmed, "Dad was talking about me like I was more his property than his child."

"As Dad has a terrible habit of doing," Rhiannon agreed.

"And Tamaki kind of laid into him." The memory alone was enough to make me smile.

"Like I said," Tamaki grumbled, "If you really were his little girl, he'd treat you better. He'd have you on a pedestal and he wouldn't be writing you off like he does. He doesn't deserve you, Lana. How you came from that is beyond me."

"I'll drink to that," Rhiannon tipped her glass to him, "So, what exactly was said there?"

"I told him just that," Tamaki explained, "If he wants to be her father so bad, he should act like it."

"It's a good thing I have someone that thinks of me like that, isn't it, Tamaki?" I shot him a wink, making one drip of blood come from his nose. I'm pretty sure I just broke him.

"Speaking of me," Elliot jabbed, fully aware of who I was really talking about, "Rhiannon, are you staying with me tonight?"

"I can't," Rhiannon checked her phone, slamming the rest of her pint, "I have to go."

"Already?" I whined.

"Don't go, Rhi-chan," Honey solidified his place in her lap.

"Yeah, Rhiannon," Hikaru pouted.

"You can't leave us yet," Kaoru mirrored his brother.

"Sorry, boys," Rhiannon put Honey in Mori's lap instead, "I got a flight to catch."

"We're really going to miss having you around, Rhi," I hugged my sister tight.

"I love you," Rhiannon kissed the top of my head, followed by the rest of the host club, "And all of you..."

"And what about me?" Elliot asked, a hint of seduction in his voice.

"As for you," she slipped into his embrace, kissing his cheek, "You know where I live. It wouldn't kill you to come and see me once in a while."

"You don't know that," he teased, "What if the plane crashes when I come to see you?"

"Smartass," Rhiannon gave him one last kiss, "I'll see you guys soon, I'm sure."

"Bye, Rhi," I sent her off.

"She can be kind of a pain," Haruhi admitted, "But I'm going to miss Rhiannon."

"Me, too," I let out a heavy sigh, only to be followed by a smile, "But she's our pain."

"We wouldn't trade her for the world," Kyoya cradled me.

"Damn, I love that girl," Elliot looked the most bummed out of all of us, "And it's going to suck even worse when you leave, Lana."

"I'll be back soon enough," I reassured him, "Don't worry, Elliot. You're not losing us for good."

"I mean," he pulled himself together a little more, "I don't know the rest of you lot well enough, but I'll still miss seeing your mugs in my pub."

"We should be going, though," I laid my head on my boyfriend's shoulder, "I'm sure we're heading out early tomorrow morning."

"That's right," Kyoya nodded, pushing me off his lap.

Before I could say another word, Elliot had me in a bonecrushing embrace that he never wanted to end, "I love you, Lana. Don't let this be the last time we see each other."

"It won't be," I nuzzled my face in his chest, masking the tears coming from my eyes, "I'll be back after graduation, ok?"

"That's too long," he complained, "But at least you'll be back."

"That's the spirit."

And the eight of us went back to our hotel. Leaving Elliot wasn't easy, but it'd have to be done. On the other hand, I'd have my host club. I'd have Tokyo. I'd have Yuuichi if things got really bad. I think I'll be alright. When Kyoya and I got to our room, I buried myself in the blankets and burrowed into his ribs.

"My, my, Lana," Kyoya wrapped his arms around me, "You're awfully affectionate tonight. Are we going to make a certain something a tradition for our last night in London?"

"No," I shook.

"Hey," he lifted my face to his, "What's the matter, Lana? You were fine ten minutes ago."

"Is there a word for happy and sad at the same time?" I asked.

"Melancholy," Kyoya thought, "Bittersweet, maybe. Tamaki's better with linguistics than I am."

"I can't wait to leave," I told him, "But I don't want to leave all the same."

"We can always come back, Lana," he promised, "London will always be here. Just like Tokyo will always be there. By tomorrow morning, we'll be on our way home and everything will be ok. The balance in the universe will be restored. And think of it this way, do you remember all those nights you had when I wasn't here that drove you into the deepest pits of despair?"

"I'd rather not think about those nights, Kyoya," I could already feel my nearly healed scabs itch something horrible, "You know what those nights did to me."

"You're not going to have those anymore," Kyoya held me against his chest, "Because I'm going to be right there. A mere hop, skip, and jump away. Not a hop, skip, connecting flight in Moscow, and a jump away."

"At least there's a bright side," I wiped my eyes.

"Let's go to sleep," his embrace tightened, "We'll have a long day tomorrow."

"Ok," I guess this is as close as I'm going to get to having my cake and eating it, too. But Kyoya had a point. London would still be here when I got back. Elliot would still be here. And Rhiannon's going to be back in New York. And I'd be back home where I belonged. Just a short twelve hour flight and I'd be back in Tokyo. Back at Ouran. Twelve hours would be nothing compared to the six months I'd have back home. And who knows? Maybe I could get really lucky and Kyoya would do something silly like ask me to move in with him. Then again, as much as I loved it in Tokyo, I wanted to go to college back in the US. I knew that much.

Although, I really wouldn't mind waking up with Kyoya every morning. Us moving in together could be disastrous, though. We still needed to keep a little mystery in the relationship. But we've spent weekends together. Hell, the past two weeks he's been here, we've been together every waking moment. I'm sure we'd be able to find a happy medium between personal space and being up each other's asses the whole time.

The next morning, I woke up to a light tickle around my bellybutton. I see someone invested in some new markers. They smelled different than his Sharpies. By the looks of their tips and the effect they had on my skin, those were paint. Watercolors. Kyoya always worked best with watercolors. They were a lot softer than the harsh pigmentation of the markers and they popped against my pale skin a lot better. He didn't even look up at me. Kyoya was totally lost in the scenery he drew across my stomach.

As was I. Watching him work was absolutely mesmerizing. I would be perfectly content if he wanted to draw on every inch of my body. It's not like he hasn't seen it before. And if anyone could work miracles on me, it'd be him. Hypnotized by every last brushstroke, I sat back in delirious awe of the landscape blossoming between my hip bones. It looked like a beautiful spring scene.

"Going with a more traditional Japanese art style?" I assumed, "That's not like you, Kyoya."

"I was feeling like a challenge," Kyoya gave me a proper good morning kiss, "Beautiful, though, isn't it?"

"Definitely."

"Does it look familiar?" he asked, "I know you're seeing it upside down, but I know you've seen it somewhere before."

"Of course I have," my heart melted, bringing me back to a beautiful spring in the mountains with Kyoya, "This is Karuizawa, isn't it?"

"That's right," Kyoya nodded, "You have a good eye, Lana."

"Two of them," I corrected, hearing my sister's voice come out of my mouth.

"You've never seen Karuizawa in the winter," he thought out loud, "Maybe we should remedy that."

"And when do you plan on doing this?" I wondered.

"How about the first weekend we're back home?" Kyoya suggested, "It's been a while since we had a weekend at the cabin."

"I'm not going to say no," I swooned. The cabin, the giant fireplace, the views of the mountains. All under a fresh blanket of sparkling snow. It sounds like something out of a dream.

"Come on," Kyoya blew softly on my belly, drying the wet watercolors staining my skin, "We should probably..."

 _BANG, BANG, BANG!_

"What the hell?" I jumped, silently starting to freak a little bit.

"Kyoya-senpai!" a familiar harmony hummed at our door. That could only mean one thing. Or in this case, two, "Are you up yet?"

"I got it," I settled a little more and started to get up.

"I don't think so," Kyoya held me down, "My work is still drying and that's the best I've done in ages. Besides, you're half naked. Those two don't need to see that. I'll get the door."

"Fine," I stole a quick kiss and let him go.

"What do you want?" he growled, throwing the door open.

"We lost rock, paper, scissors," Hikaru pouted.

"So, we had to be the ones to get you," Kaoru explained.

"Again, I ask," Kyoya was ready to knock their heads together, "What do you want?"

"Our plane is waiting," they chimed, "And we don't know where Lana's room is."

"We'll be out in a minute," he brushed them off, "I know where Lana is."

"Which room?"

"This one!" I chirped.

"Morning, Lana!" the twins sang, "Can we come in?"

"No," Kyoya put his foot down, "We'll be out in a minute. Go get the others."

"On it!" they took off like bullets from a gun.

"You," Kyoya crawled back into bed with me, "They didn't have to know you were here."

"Where else am I going to be while you're in town?" I pulled him toward me, "What did they mean when they said our plane was waiting?"

"We flew privately," he wrapped his arms around me.

"You boys always travel in style, don't you?" I jabbed.

"Of course," Kyoya sat me up, "We really should get going, though."

"And we can always sleep on the plane, right?" I laid my head on his shoulder.

"I'm going to have to," he assured, "That is, if it's alright with you."

"Kyoya," I mushed his face between my hands, "I don't have a problem with flying. I've done it a time or two before. I think you can doze off for a little while on our way home."

And to no surprise, as soon as we sat down, Kyoya was out like a light, curled up with me. Even though they came to our door with such a high energy, Hikaru and Kaoru were, too. And Tamaki was wrapped around Haruhi, sleeping like a baby. The only other ones awake besides Haruhi and me were Honey and Mori, who were having cake in the back.

"It's weird to see Kyoya-senpai so still," Haruhi pointed out.

"The same could be said for yours, too," I retaliated, "Tamaki's usually such a puppy that had a shot too much espresso."

"You could say that again," she agreed, cradling his head in her hand, "But it is rather nice when Senpai turns off, too. He's less exhausting."

"I really can't wait to see him more," I ran my fingers idly down Kyoya's arm.

"And since you're moving back into your own apartment," Haruhi beamed, "You'll be just around the corner from me again."

"I just want to go home," I sighed as if no one could tell.

The sooner we could land in Tokyo, the better. I knew the jetlag was going to kill me, but I didn't care. The sleep deprivation would be totally worth it to have my boys at my fingertips again. Sure, that meant more spontaneous visits, I'm sure. Not that I'd mind anymore. I wouldn't even mind waking up with all of them there again.

I started to get a little sleepy myself, so I stole one of Kyoya's earbuds. To my surprise, Give Me Novacaine played through the speaker. I never expected Kyoya to be into this. Very carefully, I slipped his phone out of his hand and scrolled through his playlist. The frequently listened to album was the American Idiot soundtrack. Someone was missing his girlfriend, wasn't he? Honestly, I knew it was only a matter of time before I started rubbing off on him.

After what felt like an eternity, we finally landed back in Tokyo. I don't think I can ever fly commercial again. Kyoya Ootori, you've spoiled me. I've learned to live such a lavish life that I don't think I'll ever be able to live like a commoner again. My god, I sound like what Tamaki thinks Haruhi and I sound like. We got off the plane and tackled Tokyo at midnight.

"What to do now," Tamaki thought out loud.

"We could go to the arcades," the twins suggested.

"Or a café!" Honey chimed in.

"Or a club!"

"You guys do what you want," I let them go, "I'm exhausted. I'm going home and I'm going to bed."

"Mind if I join you?" Kyoya hugged me tight.

"Actually," I bit my lip, "I do. I just want a little time to myself."

"That's fine," he allowed. This is why I love Kyoya. He knows exactly when I want to be smothered and when I don't. Kyoya gave me one last kiss before putting me in a car, "I love you. If you need anything, call me."

"I love you, too," I laid my head on the door and felt the warm embrace of Tokyo envelop my entire body. Damn, it's good to be home. The city lights sparkled against the buildings and the sounds were like lullabies. Oh, yeah. I'm sleeping like a rock tonight.

I grabbed my apartment key out of my bag and pushed the door open. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Oh, sweet familiarity. How I missed you so. Everything really was just the way I left it. Not much for decorating, but all of my tea sets were in the curio cabinet. My sad blanket was on the back of the couch. Everything was almost exactly how I left it.

When I went into my fridge, it was fully stocked. All of my tea was in the cabinet. On the counter, next to the toaster oven was a box that wasn't even in English. And this wasn't kanji either. There's no way this was mine. I opened the box and found a note inside. I guess this really was meant to be for me.

 _Not everything was quite the way you left it._

 _-Yuuichi_

Ominous, yet oddly inspirational. Yep. That sounded like Yuuichi. And his little brother, too. Must be something in the genepool. When I took the set out of the box, I had to take a minute. This was Moroccan. A rich purple with gold accent. This was definitely not an everyday tea set. These damn rich kids knew how to treat a girl.

I made a cup of chamomile and laid in my bed, drinking everything in. Welcome home, Lana. You're not going anywhere for quite some time. Well…Six months. But who's counting? You should probably get some rest. You're starting at Ouran Academy on Monday. I caught a glimpse of my open closet and a big, yellow dress hanging in it. It's so good to be home.

 **A/N: Welcome back to Tokyo, kids. We're home. And when we pick up next week, we're really going to be back home. That'll make a lot more sense soon enough. Now, I know. There's a problem going around with the notifications. If there was such a thing as a Robin Hood of hackers, could you fix that? Because as much as I hate biting the hand that feeds here, it's totally warranted, but it looks like that's how it's going to get fixed. I'm done being salty now. See you next chapter! xx**


	20. The New Girl in Class

When I woke up on Monday morning, my dress stared back at me, hanging so neatly in my closet. For the first time in forever, I woke up excited to go school instead of writing off my existential dread. I couldn't be more excited. As I finished getting ready, latching my sapphire pendant around my neck, my phone beeped.

 _Look outside._

 _KO_

Oh, Kyoya...What did you do? I have a feeling someone was up to something. What that something was wouldn't surprise me, but then again, it was Kyoya. He could always manage to find a way to surprise me. I slipped my shoes on and grabbed my bag off the couch. In front of my apartment building, a black limo waited for me. Damn, those boys knew how to ride in style. The only thing that could've even come close to shocking me was if Kyoya was there in his convertible, but this would do, too.

"Good morning, gorgeous," Kyoya pulled me into a good morning kiss. So much better than a text.

"Good morning to you, too, Kyoya," Tamaki's ego ruined our moment. And Haruhi hit him with the spray bottle. One would think he'd learn by now.

"Thank you, Haruhi," I giggled.

"No problem!" she chimed.

"It sucks not having Honey and Mori here," I laid my head on my boyfriend's shoulder, "But at least I got you guys."

"Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai will stop by after school," Kyoya promised.

"Once you're in the host club," Hikaru started.

"You never really leave," Kaoru finished.

"So," I beamed, "I still get all of my boys."

"Always," Kyoya cuddled me.

And before we knew it, I was back in front of the Ouran Academy. I stared up at the clock tower, completely mesmerized by its size. I guess it's not a case of if someone has seen one clock tower, they've seen them all. This was nothing like standing by Big Ben. This felt...More like home. But above all else, it felt too surreal. I never thought I'd see this clock tower again.

I left Kyoya and the boys to get to class and I slipped into my homeroom. There was a seat in the back of the room that looked pretty inviting. Once the final bell rang, I took out one of my notebooks and started to doodle. There's no way I could get to the level that Kyoya and Rhiannon are at, but I could try, right? And who knows? Maybe the repetition of the lines could be therapeutic. I like to think so. It's probably why Kyoya draws in the first place. And after a while, he got so good. I had a beautiful reminder of that practice.

As I continued my absentminded doodling, I noticed a guy shooting glances at me almost constantly. He looked like he was constantly pissed off at the world and anyone that got in his way might as well have had a death wish. When I finally caught him, I simply smiled at him. And it was enough for him to turn a bright shade of red. I like to think I had some sort of fault for that. Not sure why he'd be all blushy over me. I was me. But he was. Just as I was about to say hi to him and get some answers, a bunch of girls jumped down my throat.

"You're the new girl, aren't you?" an overly uppity blonde asked. She was kind of like Tamaki, but not quite as lovingly overbearing as Tamaki. It wouldn't surprise me that if she was a regular guest of the host club and he was her host of choice.

"Y...Yeah," I stuttered, internally cringing. I was ok if I initiated the conversation, but if someone else comes up to me like this? And with back up? Not good.

"If you're new," her friend chimed in, "What were you doing, coming in with the entire host club at your feet already?"

"You don't think the host club wouldn't know we had a new student?" the blonde scoffed, "It's Kyoya. He knows everything. He's using his yakuza connections."

"But seriously, new girl," she stared a hole through me, "Why would the host club be so interested in you?"

"I...I..." They had me backed into a corner. I knew that it was only a matter of time before I'd start to fall apart.

"Hey," Angry Face stopped them, "Leave her alone. Unless you want to see what real yakuza connections can do."

"We were just asking a question," the girls turned around.

"Are you ok?" he asked, "I'm sorry you had to deal with that. You looked like your skin was about to peel off."

"Thank you," I spoke softly, "I'm fine now. But can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"You keep looking at me," I wondered, "Why?"

"Well..." Automatically, he jumped on the defensive as his hand clenched into a fist, "I have to look somewhere, don't I? You were just in the general direction!"

Don't let him intimidate you. Don't let him intimidate you. Everything's ok now. This guy got those bitches off my back, "Lana..."

"What?"

"That's my name," I told him, "I figured you'd want to know that."

"Oh," his hand relaxed, but his face grew redder, "I'm sure you want to know mine, too."

"Sure," I nodded.

"It's Ritsu," he grumbled.

"Well," I chirped, "It's truly a pleasure to meet you, Ritsu."

"I've never seen you around here before," he pointed out, "Are you new or something?"

"I'm a transfer student," I explained, "Originally, I was living in England."

"You don't sound English."

"Technically, I'm not," I clarified, "I'm American. I was going to boarding school in London, but I ended up with a scholarship and came here."

"You know," Ritsu started getting twitchy again, "If you ever wanted to…You know…Do something sometime…Or...Whatever…Let me know. We could…Um…"

If I didn't know any better, I'd think Ritsu had a hard time talking to girls. But he managed to get the others off my back. Why would he be so nervous around me? I'm nothing special. It's weird. I'm so used to being awkward around boys, but ever since I came back from England with the host club by my side, it's like boys are getting awkward around me. Did I have an unexpected glow up and not realize it? In a twisted way, I was kind of getting off on the power trip, though.

"Sure," I smiled, "We can hang out. I'll let you know, ok?"

"Ok," he settled, "That'd be cool."

But then, the bell finally rang and Ritsu and I had to part ways, "I'll see you later."

"Bye," Ritsu grabbed his books, "What did you say your name was again? I'm sorry. Knowing names isn't a strong suit."

"It's Lana," I threw my bag on my shoulder and headed to my next class.

Yep. This was like riding a bike. I really did miss the halls of Ouran Academy. They felt a lot less intimidating than what they did my first time around. Coming back was like visiting an old friend. Only in this case, I was coming home to an old friend. We were going to be roommates and grow old together and get a house with a big front porch and two big white rocking chairs, drinking lemonade in the summer. Wow, Lana. You're reading way too deep into it. But it was true.

For the rest of the day, I managed. I was relatively ok. Minus random people looking at me like a shiny new toy. In all fairness, though, I was the shiny new toy. But I've been here before. What made things different now? Did the boys hype me up while I was gone? was it the fact that I got a scholarship here not once, but twice? That seemed to be the kind of thing that got people all curious. This is a rather elite academy and I'm but a simple commoner.

However, there was one place where I never felt like a commoner. Where anyone was accepted and everyone left happy. Although, it would be a bit of a bummer when I finally would leave. The day had come to its end and I had a seemingly abandoned music room to wander back into. And I'm so glad I wanted a quiet place that day. When I got to the door of the host club, I heard a familiar rough and grumbly voice on the other side.

"Mori-senpai, I'm in deep here," he freaked.

"Hmm...?" I could pick that one out of a crowd.

"There's a new girl in my homeroom. She's quiet, shy...Really, really cute. And she's so sweet. I've only talked to her once and I got tongue tied like an idiot! What do I do?"

I pushed the door open, starting to feel bad about eavesdropping, and found Mori on the other side. Along with another familiar face, "Hi, Ritsu."

Ritsu's nose turned into Tamaki's whenever Haruhi called him daddy, "H...Hi, Lana."

"Are you ok?" I grabbed a tissue out of my bag.

"What are you doing?" he jumped.

"Your nose is bleeding," I told him, "Don't worry. I got it."

All of a sudden, a shadow started to materialize around Mori, "No."

"No?" I gave him a look, "The hell are you talking about?"

"That's not a no for you, Lana," Mori wrapped his arms around me.

"Hi, Mori," I gasped for breath as he squeezed me tighter, "Hey, have you seen Kyoya around somewhere?"

"He's not here yet."

"Lana!" another voice I knew all too well squealed in sheer excitement, intercepting me from Mori.

"Hi, Tamaki!" I surrendered, knowing there was no way I was going to get out of that.

"Tamaki..." Mori spoke flatly, "We have a problem."

"What kind of problem?" Tamaki snuggled me, "There's no way we could have a problem. Not when she's here."

"So," I managed to escape the spastic embrace, "Are you sticking around the host club, Ritsu? This doesn't really seem like the kind of place you'd hang out in."

"I really should be going," Ritsu started walking out.

"Kasanoda..." There he is, "What are you doing in here?"

"Kyoya!" I threw myself into my boyfriend's shoulder, kissing his cheek, "Hi, baby."

"Hello, Lana," Kyoya held me against his chest.

"Lana..." I could see Ritsu's heart shatter in his eyes, "You..."

"Are you ok, Ritsu?" I worried, watching him turn to dust, "You're eroding away."

"You..." he could hardly speak, "You have a boyfriend?"

"Yeah," I nodded, laying my head on Kyoya's shoulder, "For almost a year now? Right, Kyoya?"

"That's right," Kyoya confirmed.

"Oh..." Ritsu pulled himself back together, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were already seeing someone."

So, that's why he was so weird around me. He liked me. However, I hated to be the one to burst his bubble, but I had Kyoya. And I'm pretty sure that wasn't changing any time soon. I had to do damage control, "So, I'm seeing someone. That doesn't mean we can't still hang out and be friends."

"Yeah," he came to again, "That'd be ok."

"Lana," Kyoya took my hand, "You and I need to talk. Over here."

"Ok," I started to sweat a little. Kyoya never asked to talk like this. And going by the look on his face, it wasn't going to be pretty. Although, it was a rarity Kyoya's face ever made an emotion when we were in mixed company. He and I went to a back corner of the music room, "What's going on?"

"When did you meet Kasanoda?" Kyoya asked.

"Ritsu?" I figured, "This morning. We have homeroom together. He got these two girls off my back and we just started talking."

"Lana," he took my hands, "Kasanoda's yakuza. Not like my kind of yakuza. He's actual yakuza. You don't need to get mixed up in that kind of thing. That makes him dangerous. I want you to stay away from him."

"Kind of hard to do that when we have homeroom together," I pointed out, "I'll be fine, Kyoya. He just wants a friend."

"Your first day back," he chuckled, "And you already have someone hitting on you?"

"And?" I brushed him off, "I don't understand why you're getting so..."

"So what?" Kyoya asked.

"Bitchy," I finished, "You know I'm not going to run off with him. Why are you getting so territorial?"

"I'm not getting territorial," he defended, proving my point, "I'm worried about you, Lana. You know how I am when it comes to you."

"Let me put this into perspective," I asked, "How many girls hit on you while I was gone?"

"That doesn't really apply to me," Kyoya said, "I'm a host. That's what I do on a regular basis."

"So, how many?" I reiterated, "If you had to give a ballpark estimate."

"Well," he thought it over, "My request rate did go up after you

"And do you have any plans on leaving me for one of them?"

"Of course not!" Kyoya squeaked, "The fact that you'd even suggest such a thing after all that we've been through together is rather insulting."

"My point exactly," I cuddled into him, "I love you, Kyoya. That's not changing. I don't think it was Ritsu that had you nervous. It was the fact that another guy that was outside the host club was showing me some sort of attention that could've possibly been mistaken for flirting. You don't want anyone else to be alpha in my life aside from you. And you've done so much for me that I couldn't possibly do something so stupid like cheat on you. You don't need to worry. Ritsu's not going to do anything and if he does, Rhiannon has taught me the golden rule of getting a guy off your back."

"And what's that?"

"Kick him as hard as you can in the nuts and run," I smiled, "Now, can I sit with my favorite and only host please?"

Kyoya had settled down considerably after I basically had to tell him off. I didn't like that I had to metaphorically take him over my knee, but sometimes, it had to be done. His lips brushed against my knuckles, "It'd be my pleasure, princess."

"Don't start with me," I blushed, "Your host charms don't work, remember?"

"The color in your cheeks says otherwise."

"Shut up," I giggled, thankful that the unpleasantness was out of the way. I'm so glad that didn't end up in a fight. That was smelling like a potential powder keg of a fight and I was nowhere near prepared for something like that.

Fortunately, I had two hours of uninterrupted time with my beloved boyfriend, my best friends, and the guests of the host club, but I could ignore them. This was the way the world was supposed to be. I had no room to complain. Especially after the club had closed for the day and we were all sitting around, screwing with each other and having a grand old time.

"How about a toast then?" Tamaki chimed, "To Lana's homecoming!"

"I think we can all drink to that," Haruhi agreed.

"And you do know," Hikaru grinned.

"We're throwing you a party, right?" Kaoru shared his brother's smirk.

"Why?" I whined, "I don't need a party. You guys already know I'm here. Isn't that enough?"

"That's definitely a reason to celebrate, Lana-chan," Honey chirped.

"And we want to!" the twins put their feet down.

"Fine," I wasn't going to fight it. There was no sense. But that didn't mean I couldn't have a little bit of fun, too, "Whoever shall I pick to be my escort?"

"What do you mean?" Kyoya gave me a look, "You'd think your boyfriend would have that honor."

"Yeah," I thought it over, "But I had a better idea. And Tamaki, I'm sure you'd be all over this."

"You've sparked my interest," Tamaki grinned, damn near rivaling the twins, "And what's your idea, Lana?"

"You guys have one week to plan this party," I decided, "And Kyoya, don't stress yourself out as bad as you did last time. I never want to have to go through that again."

"Yes, ma'am," Kyoya kissed my cheek.

"By the end of the week," I continued, "I'll make my decision. I'm sure we can all agree to those terms, right?"

"Just to clarify," Hikaru chimed.

"How does one get to be your escort?" Kaoru wondered.

"I'm glad you asked," I beamed, "Because I'm not going to tell you. You have to figure that out for yourselves. Now, if it's all the same to you, I think I'm going to head home. Kyoya, are you coming with me?"

"It'd be my honor," Kyoya took my hand, "It's been far too long since I've been in your apartment. I actually miss it."

"See you later, guys," I waved behind us and Kyoya and I headed back to my place.

Home sweet home. Within walking distance of the school, Haruhi's, my favorite cafe, and Kyoya's practically within spitting distance. I kicked my feet up on my coffee table while Kyoya stood in my kitchen, thumbing through my ever extensive tea cabinet. Thank you, Yuuichi, for keeping that stocked. Speaking of Yuuichi, as Kyoya finished steeping the tea, something in my china cabinet caught my eye.

"Lana," Kyoya asked, "Have you been shopping online recently?"

"No," I looked over my shoulder, "Why?"

"Are you sure?" he dug, "Perhaps on a Moroccan site?"

"I thought that was Moroccan," I got up and grabbed the set out of the cabinet, "No, I didn't order this. When I came home the other night from the airport, I found it sitting on my counter. A present from Yuuichi."

"There's where it came from," Kyoya figured, "Yuuichi always had a thing about Moroccan tableware. Can't fault him, though. I have to admit he has taste."

"Isn't it gorgeous?" I poured the tea into its pot.

"It is," he nodded, "So, why the competition?"

"What competition?"

"Of who gets to be your escort for Saturday night," Kyoya elaborated, "You may have been around the host club for quite some time now, but you don't know how competitive the others can be. This happened once when Haruhi was working in Karuizawa for the summer. We all competed for a room at Misuzu's bed and breakfast."

"Who ended up winning?" I was completely mesmerized by the rich amber liquid coming from my tea pot. I know I told Kyoya that earl grey was a morning tea for me, but I'm glad he picked it.

"HIkaru and Kaoru," he went on, "Although, Tamaki came very close."

"And with my homecoming party this weekend," I thought, "Does that mean we're going to hold off on Karuizawa for now?"

"For now," Kyoya allowed, "Next weekend, though. And we need to keep that between us or the others are going to want to tag along."

"And what would be so bad about that?"

"Lana," he cradled my face in his hands, "You and I are going to go away for the weekend. I'm going to want you all to myself."

"Because you're worried you're not going to win the coveted spot of being my escort?" I jabbed.

"A little friendly competition?" There it was. There was that dirty little smirk Kyoya would get every once in a while that made me fall in love with him. That was his determined face, "Count me in. I wasn't too interested in Karuizawa, but considering there's a much bigger and better prize at stake, color me excited. Besides, it's a sure thing."

"Is it?" I pulled him down to my couch, "Are you so sure?"

"I'm your boyfriend, Lana," Kyoya snuggled me, "Not only am I around you more, but I know how you tick. You'll pick me...Right?"

Did I have Kyoya Ootori scared? I think I did. Even scarier thought, why was I getting so excited about it? I wasn't sure why, but I was. Maybe a quick change of the subject will help ease both our minds, "Are you staying with me tonight, baby?"

"Can I?"

"Of course you can," I assured, stealing a quick kiss.

"But about the party..." Kyoya's voice quivered a bit, "I am going to win this little competition, right? I'll be your escort Saturday night?"

"We'll see."

I might have felt bad about having the boys at my feet like this, but I had a feeling this entire week was going to be a good week for me. The host club knew how to make a girl happy. That's for sure. Although, I thought that my underhandedness would've intrigued Kyoya even more. It's just got him nervous. I hated doing that to him when it's so obvious I'd pick him. Then again, that little snag with Ritsu at the host club got under my skin a little. Kyoya getting territorial reminded me way too much of my dad for my liking. But I knew better. Kyoya was nothing like him. And he never would be. I had to get a little bit of payback, though, right?

 **A/N: Lana, your Kyoya's showing. Also, I had a request last week for a little Kasanoda. And I'm a sucker for putting a tol angry with a smol cinnamon roll. And so, we see another potential ship? Is the SS Kyana about to be under attack by the SS Latsu (Lananoda? I kind of like that one)? No. You guys know better. You know I couldn't do that. But we do have Lana with a little bit of power and there's a competition in the host club. What could possibly go wrong?**

 **I know something that isn't exactly going to go right. I'm going to be gone for a couple weeks, guys. Going back to see the family for a while. I'm taking hiatus as of now and won't be back until June. HOWEVER! When I do come back in June, I promise I'll be more than making up for it. For those of you who have been around since Kiss, Kiss came out last April, do you remember what I did that following June? That's right, kids. Bomb week's coming back!**

 **If you haven't been around since day one, let me explain to you the concept of bomb week:**

 **Bomb week. n.**

 **One week, usually in the month of June, where Lumi posts five new updates daily for one story.**

 ** _Hey! Have you heard? Lumi's starting bomb week again! Yay!_**

 **Meaning from June 19** **th** **to the 23** **rd** **, it would be nothing but Back to Normal updates. I'm sure you can't complain about that, right? However, we all know. Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. And if you didn't read that in Maxey's voice, you're lying to yourself. Unless Fullmetal Alchemist references are lost on you. In which case, I'm sorry. But that means more hiatal time. But look on the bright side. I'll have five new updates to hold you over until regularly scheduled posts in July again. So, think it over and I'll see you next chapter. Whenever that may be. No getting into any shenanigans while I'm gone. I'll still pop in once in a while just to check on you guys. If you need anything, you know where my inbox is. xx**


	21. Let the Games Begin

**A/N: If you're reading this, then know that I miss you so, so much and I hope you're doing ok. I've also probably reached upper Michigan by this point and so you don't worry, I'm safe and sound. Also, surprise! I've busted my ass all last weekend to get updates for the week loaded in the doc manager and I may or may not be completely fried at this point. And I still got two more to go. *waits patiently for the bitching that's about to ensue in my review section* But regardless, I miss you all. I love you. And I'm going to jump down to the bottom, but make sure you read the story first before we talk again, ok?**

When I initially woke up at four in the morning, Kyoya was using my stomach as a pillow. I never expected him to be ok with being the little spoon, but I wasn't going to complain. However, when I went back to sleep and woke up again when I was supposed to, he was back to drawing on his pillow. Kyoya really has taken to a traditional Japanese art style recently like a duck to water. A rich purple dragon stretched across my stomach from one hip to the other with the occasional flecks of silver in its scales.

"You know," I smiled, "You really do have a gift."

"Thank you," he blushed a bit, stealing a kiss from me, "Ohayo."

"Ohayo," I melted, "It sucks we have to go to school."

"I know, koibito," Kyoya cradled my face in his hand, "I know. Only another six months. Then, we're free to do whatever we so desire."

"And what's that?" I wondered.

"I don't know," he shrugged, capping his marker, "I've been thinking about that very thing quite a bit recently. There's one school I've been considering more and more and I'm sure you wouldn't protest to it."

"Really?" I cuddled into him, "And what's that?"

"NYU..."

Dammit, Rhiannon. I knew that was her influence. It had to be. I only knew one person that lived in New York and she had already pitched NYU to me. Not to mention, her and Kyoya talk more than we do, "And while you've been considering NYU, have you considered majors, too?"

"Fine arts," Kyoya nodded, "I've heard they have an excellent arts program."

"So have I," I grew more and more suspicious, "And when you're not in school?"

"I have a line on part time employment. Although, I'd have to do a slight apprenticeship over the summer first and learn how to work certain pieces of equipment."

"Do you now?" I knew it, "Rhiannon got to you, didn't she?"

"You caught me," Kyoya giggled, "She did raise a few very valid points. And she misses you, Lana. She wants you to come home in the worst way. But I don't think she realizes you've found a new one."

"And you were going to up and move to New York," I pointed out, "Just...not tell me?"

"I'd tell you," he assured, "As soon as I got my acceptance. I didn't want to get your hopes up of me moving to the US with you."

"Who said I wanted to move back to the US?" All of a sudden, the gravity of the situation hit me. I can't believe THAT'S what I paid attention to. The fact that it'd be living in the US again, "Wait...Did you say we'd be moving together...?"

"And go to a country I have little to no knowledge of by myself?" Kyoya teased, "What kind of idiot would I have to be to do something like that? That'd almost be as ridiculous as going six thousand miles just to see some girl. Of course we'd be moving together, Lana. I don't want to leave you. That's just reckless."

Have I mentioned how much I love him? Because I do. So very much, "What if I didn't get accepted?"

"You would," he promised, "I've seen your grades. You're an honor student. I don't see how they could say no to you."

"I don't have any extra-curricular activities," I sighed, "I wanted to do kendo, but they wouldn't let me."

"I understand," Kyoya pulled me against his chest, "You could always put the host club."

"Yeah," I scoffed, "Because NYU's going to say yes to a girl that frequented a club that was practically a glorified escort service."

"Hey," he gave me a little swat on the nose, "That's what I'm putting on my application, thank you very much. You're poking at my livelihood and my pride. If it weren't for that club, you wouldn't have me, would you?"

"Ok, ok," I apologized, "I get it. I'm not a host, though. I'm just a guest."

"That's still being a part of it," Kyoya found loopholes all over the place.

"I don't even want to think about that yet," I grumbled, "I just want to focus on now, if that's alright with you."

"And we do have to go to class, don't we?" Kyoya pulled me onto my feet, "I love that we're in the same time zone again."

"It's weird," I dug in my closet for my uniform, "I'm not about to go to bed."

"And I don't have to call you when we get out," he agreed, "I can wait until you come to the music room."

"I can't," I snaked my arms around him.

"As much as I'd love to stick around here," he kissed the top of my head, "We're going to be late."

"No, we won't," I jumped in and out of the shower, swallowed breakfast, and the two of us headed for Ouran Academy. Unfortunately, Kyoya had some business to take care of, so I was on my own walking to homeroom.

"Lana!"

That is, until I was sandwiched between Hikaru and Kaoru and they cuddled me like a lost, innocent kitten. In their defense, I kind of was the lost, innocent kitten of the host club. I'd say that title had fallen onto Haruhi at one time, but she was too much of the real mom behind the host club, so I could take that crown from her.

"Morning, boys," I wiggled out from between them.

"Your bag looks heavy," Hikaru took it from me.

"And we brought you tea, too," Kaoru gave me a cup full of hot earl grey. I took one little drink of it. And it was done right, too. Not too much honey. Twinings tea. They get a pat on the head.

"Thanks, guys," I started to realize what this was all about.

This is going to be a fun week. And I had a feeling that my sister was about to come out in me more than what I'd want it to.

"No need to thank us," Hikaru assured.

"It's our pleasure," Kaoru agreed.

"Let us walk you to homeroom," the twins took my hands. I wasn't going to say no. I couldn't say no to those faces. Not to mention, I don't think no would've registered.

The further we got down the hall, the more dirty looks I got from girls that regularly visited the host club. However, the twins weren't fazed. I had to admit it made me a little uncomfortable, but then again, it gave me a strange sense of power. This is what I had and no one else had it. I fed off their jealousy and engorged myself. I was invincible.

I held my head a little higher and the click of my heels echoed through the entire school. A sudden surge of confidence ran through my body. Oh, yeah. A girl could get used to this. Maybe it was just having the twins around or maybe a man on each arm had some sort of mystical sensation over me. Whatever it was, I never wanted this feeling to go away. Let's see how far I can take this.

I got to homeroom and took my bag back from Hikaru, "Alright, boys. You have your own classes to go to. Go on. I'll see you later."

"Bye, Lana!" And they scurried off to wherever it was they had to go. Maybe implicating the idea of a competition wasn't exactly a good idea, but I was going to benefit immensely from it, so I say let it happen. It's not like I was forcing them to do anything. Hikaru and Kaoru were being my lapdogs of their own volition. I sat in my usual seat in the back and kicked my feet up on the desk in front of me.

"Hi, Lana," Ritsu's voice quivered a bit. I wasn't sure if it was out of awkwardness around me or fear, but it left me with a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Morning, Ritsu," I settled him.

"So..." he avoided any and all eye contact with me, "About yesterday...I..."

"Don't worry about it," I shut him up, "I set Kyoya straight. We're good. I told him we were just friends and I'm currently in the process of getting my slight revenge. If he's giving you any problems down the road, tell me, ok?"

"Ok," Ritsu nodded, looking me over, "Something seems different about you."

"I don't know why," I shrugged, "I didn't do anything different. The only thing new on me isn't even visible right now."

"What's that?" he wondered.

"Kyoya draws on me while I'm asleep," I explained, "It's one of those little habits of his that make me smile when I wake up."

"He stays with you?" Ritsu gasped.

"Regularly," I confirmed, "Hell, he flew six thousand miles when I was still living in England just to see me. But that's not exactly a well known fact around here, so if you could keep that between us. Or you and Mori are going to have words."

"Your secret's safe with me," he assured, "I promise."

"Good!" I beamed, "So, the host club's throwing a party Saturday night. You busy?"

"I'd love to," Ritsu cringed, "But host club parties aren't exactly my thing. Can I ask you something, Lana?"

"Sure," I allowed, "What's up?"

"What was the deal with the Hitachiin twins this morning?" he wondered, "If I didn't know any better, I'd think they were ready to kiss your ass."

"They are ready to kiss my ass," I giggled, "Remember that whole vengeance thing I mentioned earlier?"

"Yeah."

"That party the host club is throwing is more or less my homecoming party," I filled him in, "After you left the host club yesterday and I had to bring Kyoya down, I told them I was going to need an escort to said party. And it led to a little competition. I'm guessing Hikaru and Kaoru aren't going to be the only ones sucking up to me this week."

"You're kind of manipulative," Ritsu smiled a little, "Not that I'm going or anything, but would I happen to be a candidate for that escort situation? I can't think of anything more that would be the sucker punch to the gut you're giving Kyoya than picking me."

"I'm not really going for a sucker punch," I shot him down, "More of a little slap to the face. Just something to make sure he knows he doesn't need to get jealous. I love Kyoya and he really should know better. But he can't help it."

"If things don't work out with you two," he turned shy again, "Let me know."

"Ritsu," I bit my lip, "That's the last thing I want to happen. Like I said, I love Kyoya. I have my reasons why. We understand each other in a way that no one else will truly understand. That's what we've said since we met."

"I understand," Ritsu let it go, "I hope it does work out for you guys."

"Thank you," I took his hand, "I do, too."

I liked having Ritsu around. Don't get me wrong. I love my host club, but it was nice to have someone outside the craziness to vent to. Ritsu was kind of like having a girl friend, but not quite the level of friendship like Haruhi and me. Someone distant enough from the host club, but still has a general idea of how they work. As soon as the bell ring, I left homeroom and started heading toward my next class.

"Lana!"

And a wild Tamaki appears. That little surge of power the twins gave me earlier came back, "Hi, Tamaki."

"Let Daddy walk you to class," he grabbed my bag, "Who knows the kind of riff raff that walks the halls of this school? Let me protect my princess."

"Tamaki," I settled him, "I'm not your princess. I'm Kyoya's princess. But I appreciate the thought. You know what would make this even better?"

"What's that?"

"A green tea," I bit the inside of my cheek to keep myself from getting a dirty grin on my face, "A cold one. Maybe with jasmine."

"Wait here," Tamaki left me by one of the libraries and no doubt, ran to the cafeteria's coffee cart. I should feel guilty about this, but in all honesty, this felt kind of nice. The boys at my beckoned call. But having them suck up to me like this was still wrong. If it made them happy, though, I guess I couldn't say no. Tamaki came back in record time, "Here. Jasmine green tea with honey."

"Thank you," I smiled, "What do I owe you for it?"

"Don't worry about it," he waved, "I got it. What's your next class?"

"Algebra."

Tamaki offered his arm to me, "Shall we then?"

This was fun, "Ok."

"So," he sang out, "This party Saturday..."

"Yes," I could run a bar through my tongue at this point, "I've heard of it."

"How do you want it?" Tamaki asked, "Nothing is off limits."

"No, no," I shut him down, "I'm not the one planning it. You guys are. I'm sure anything you do will be just fine. The last party you guys threw for me went off well."

Even though it rendered my boyfriend a drooling mess for a while, but it did lead to a slumber party and for him to learn his limits. I never want to see Kyoya in that kind of position again, but I miss snuggly nights like that. I've never felt the domestic life quite like that. He came home, took a nap, and I made him dinner. It's the little things.

"Come on, Lana," Tamaki jabbed, "You can have a little bit of input here."

"No," I put my foot down, standing outside my class, "Go on, Tamaki. I'm sure you have better things to do today."

"None better than taking care of you," he brushed his lips against my knuckles, "Until we meet again, my princess."

"Your host charms don't work on me, Tamaki," I giggled, "And I'm not your princess. But I'll see you later."

I knew this was going to be a class I could sleep through. By some miracle, I had a brain for few things, but math and English were always the things I excelled at. Unless it was geometry. Geometry was my idea of the perfect hell. However, I had bigger fish to fry for the time being.

The host club boys were going to suck up to me. How could I use this to my advantage without taking advantage of them? Because that would just be a bitch move on my part. It's times like these where I wanted to sneak out of class and call Rhi. If anyone had perfected this art down to a science, it's her. She's had sugar daddies before and knew how the system worked. Nevertheless, I could make this work on my own.

Later in the day, I went into my biology class and took my usual seat in the back of class, making sure to leave one seat behind me. And only a few moments later, my favorite host came in, taking that empty seat, "Hello, gorgeous."

"Hi," I blushed as he pulled me into his chest. The glares coming from the jealous girls could cut through concrete.

"How has your day been?" Kyoya cuddled me. In front of everyone. He's never this affectionate with me in mixed company unless it's to drum up business for the host club, which I was perfectly ok with.

"Everyone's been sucking up to me," I told him. At the end of the day, Kyoya was still Kyoya. I knew he'd be cool with this, "And I'm kind of loving it."

"And I love you," he completely brushed me off, holding me tighter.

"I love you, too," the red in my cheeks deepened. All throughout class, he only got worse. Kyoya was being extra cutesy today.

And not just today, but the entire week, I had Tamaki, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Kyoya doing all but carrying me to class. I'd wake up to good morning text from all of them, except for Kyoya on occasions, but that's usually because he was there to tell me himself. Even when I'd come to the host club, Honey would have my own cake for me and Mori would actually carry me when I was feeling too lazy to get up. I'd have flowers in my locker, notes on my desk, and my tea never ran empty.

Then, Friday came.

School had come to an end and it was time for me to aimlessly wander into my favorite abandoned music room. I knew what was about to happen. To no surprise, the boys were waiting. They sat in anxious formation, staring a hole through me while Haruhi was setting tables.

"Uh..." I dropped my bag, "Hi, guys."

"Hi, Lana," they all hummed in unison.

"Any particular reason you're all being weird?" I wondered as if I didn't already know.

"When are they not?" Haruhi called out from the back.

"They're weirder than usual," I glanced them over.

"So...?" Hikaru came up behind me.

"Have you made your decision yet?" Kaoru asked.

"Who's going to be your escort, Lana-chan?" Honey turned up his usual brand of sparkly cuteness.

"Well, Honey," I sighed out, "After a lot of careful thought and deliberation, the choice is kind of obvious."

"That's what I thought," Kyoya pulled me into his arms, "I'll pick you up at eight tomorrow night."

"Uh, no," I corrected him, "You won't."

"Excuse me?" he gave me a look, "I thought you said your choice was obvious."

"I did."

"And wouldn't obvious mean your boyfriend?"

"That's the obvious obvious choice," I explained, "But I'm picking Haruhi."

"What?"

"What?" Haruhi came over to us, "Who did you say you were picking?"

"You," I hugged my best friend.

"Me?" she questioned my sanity, "Why me?"

"I knew I was going to have to pick a host," I elaborated, "No one ever said it had to be one of the boys."

"Then, why did you pick Haruhi?:" Tamaki freaked a little.

"Because Haruhi didn't bribe me," I pointed out, "Haruhi didn't try to influence my decision in any way, because ultimately, she knew it was my decision. The rest of you? You all did in one way or another. Flowers in my locker, sweet notes, never allowing me to lift a finger. Luxury confections. Although, Honey, I'm going to need the name of that bakery."

"Ok!" Honey chirped.

"And one other reason," I shot her a wink, "Sisters before misters. Haruhi's my best friend and a host. It just works."

"But," Kyoya wondered, "To clarify..."

"Yes," I promised, "I still love you. We're good. Although, this is what happens when you get unreasonably jealous."

"I'm not jealous," he assured, "I'm cautious. You know how protective I am of you, Lana."

"I know," I laid my head on Kyoya's chest, "You really are my knight in shining armor, baby, but sometimes, the princess can save herself. She just needs you to be there to catch her when she falls from her tower."

"Always," Kyoya kissed my forehead, "No matter the time zone. No matter the country or the continent."

"Now," I sighed out, "If it's all the same to you, I want to go home. Are you crashing with me tonight?"

"No," he shook his head, "I have a party to plan."

"Kyoya," I warned him, "Promise me."

"I won't," Kyoya held my hands.

"Promise her what?" Tamaki asked.

"That he won't work himself into the ground like last time," I stole a quick kiss, "Everything will be fine. And if they offer help, take it. You never know when one of our beloved morons will surprise you."

"Have I mentioned how much I love you some days?" Kyoya held me tighter."

"You love me every day," I took his hand, "Shall we?"

"Yes, my love," he nodded, "We shall."

"Hey, Lana," Haruhi stopped us, "You want to meet up tomorrow morning?"

"Not a half bad idea," I agreed, "Say, nine o'clock?"

"My house?"

"Deal," I smiled, "See you tomorrow, guys!"

 **A/N: Or whenever I get back, as the case may be. Now, don't be shy. Just because I'm on vacation doesn't mean I'm not socially awkward. I'll be checking my phone regularly. Hell, last year when I went back to Michigan, I wrote a chapter and a half of Dramatical Murder. And just a quick life update in Lumiland, I did something out of complete and utter spontaneity the other day. As most of you know, Lana and I aren't much different. I don't do spontaneity well. But the other day, I went to go get my hair cut and…Well…I went in looking like Lana and came out looking like Rhiannon. I was talking about how much I missed my blue hair and she asked me if I wanted it to be purple instead. Said she'd do it for her own enjoyment and I happened to reap the benefits. If you want to see pictures, there's some on Instagram. I will say this, though, it's freakin' adorable. I pull it off quite well. :3 Now, as much as I'd like to hang out with you guys right now, in real time (My real time is 5/20. Hey! I graduated high school five years ago today!), I have two other updates to write and I'm leaving Monday, so I'll see you next chapter! xx**


	22. Enter the Dragon

**A/N: *cracks the door* Hello…? Is anyone in here…? Did you all go home or…? *blast of flower petals* OH, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?**

Waking up without Kyoya sucked, but I'd see him later. For being by myself, I felt oddly at peace. Like everything was going to be ok. It's the first time I haven't woken up with existential dread in a while. I liked it. And I didn't even have any of my medication yet today. Maybe Yuuichi was onto something. Maybe being here was my best medicine.

Beep!

Speak of the devil. Not necessarily Yuuichi, but even better.

 _Good morning, gorgeous. Can't wait to see you tonight._

 _KO_

Have I mentioned how much I love this boy? Because I do. More than he knows. But sometimes, he needs to be clocked upside the head. Metaphorically speaking. That's why I picked Haruhi over him to be my escort tonight. He really should know better than to get jealous when it comes to me. He's the only boy in my life that I have any romantic feelings for, but I could see where he was coming from.

 _I miss you, too, baby. I'll call if I need anything. x_

 _LS_

Beep!

Beep!

Beepbeep!

Beep!

Hey! Not only am I getting good morning texts from Kyoya, but everyone else, too!

 _Good morning, princess! Did you sleep well?_

 _TS_

I couldn't help but roll my eyes a little bit. How did Haruhi do it?

 _Not your princess, Tamaki. But yes, I did._

 _LS_

Next!

 _Morning, Lana. You doing ok?_

 _TM_

Mori got me. I could be honest with him.

 _Yeah. Better than usual._

 _LS_

Who else?

 _Hi, Lana! You need any help today? Our mom just got a shipment in._

 _H+KH_

How do those two...? I don't ask. In my time with the host club, I've learned not to ask when it comes to Hikaru and Kaoru.

 _Appreciate it, but I think I can handle this. Send Yuzuha my love._

 _LS_

One more...

 _Good morning, Lana-chan! Tonight's going to be so much fun, right? I could hardly sleep last night. I can't wait!_

 _MH_

I could hear Mori yelling at him in the back of my brain, telling him he needed to get more sleep. And I don't think I had the heart to mom voice Honey, but I was going to have to.

 _I'm excited, too, Honey, but you need to get some sleep, too. I'll see you tonight._

 _LS_

Beep!

Who now? Jesus, these boys have been blowing up my phone since I woke up! Oh...Just Haruhi. Good. Good, good, good.

 _On my way._

 _HF_

I rolled over and looked at my alarm clock. Haruhi's nothing if not punctual most of the time. 8:54AM. She'll probably be here in a few minutes.

 _In the shower. I'll leave the door unlocked. Let yourself in._

 _LS_

I skimmed through my closet and looked for something to wear today. For the time being anyway. As much fun as going shopping with Haruhi is, I kind of wish I had Rhiannon here, too. She had a better eye for this than anyone I knew. Aside from Yuzuha, but she did this kind of thing for a living. And to ask her sons would lead to disaster. For both of us.

So, I settled with a big, off-white, cable knit sweater and a pair of leggings and called it a day. Honestly, if I had dark hair, I'd look like the main character from an otome game and Renge would be proud. But alas. I jumped into my hot, steaming shower and let it consume me. The only thing that would make this better would be shower tea, but unfortunately, I went from my bed to my bathroom without a side trip to the kitchen.

"Lana!" a familiar voice called as I got out, "Where are you?"

"Bathroom!" I yelled back, "Ohayo, Haruhi! I'll be out in a sec!"

"Take your time," she settled me, "We have all day. The party's not for another eleven hours. I don't think it'll take us that long to get ready."

The sweet smell of jasmine from the kitchen filled my nose. Was Haruhi doing what I think she was doing? If so, bless her. I threw my sweater over my head and pulled my leggings up as high as they could go without them puddling around my ankles. Sure enough, I found my best friend in my kitchen with a tin of loose tea, my tea strainer, and my white, mint, and gold tea set I got on our first trip to the flea market.

"What are you doing?" I wondered, reaching for my breakfast.

"Making tea," Haruhi sat down, "I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," I smiled, "Thank you, but you didn't have to do that."

"It's no trouble," she assured, "To be honest, I'm a little surprised you didn't already have some made."

"That's usually a Kyoya thing," I threw my pills down my throat, "But he didn't stay over last night."

"Kyoya-senpai makes your tea for you?" Haruhi gave me a look.

"Yep," I sat with her, "When he stays over and I'm still asleep. And he's not drawing on me."

"You two really do have it all figured out, don't you?" she asked.

"Pretty much," I thought it over, "I'm sure you and Tamaki do, too."

"Actually," Haruhi dropped her gaze into her tea, "With Senpai graduating this year, I'm going to miss seeing him every day."

"Haruhi," I took her hand, "Do you really think Tamaki graduating is going to keep him from seeing you every day? He'll probably be the one to take you to and from school. He'll probably make you lunch every day. And every weekend, he'll want to spend every minute with you he can."

"But what about when he gets into a good college?" she argued, "He might come off as a bit of a ditz, but Senpai's actually really smart. He's in the top five of the whole school."

"Again," I reassured, "Tamaki's so disgustingly in love with you that nothing is going to stop him. You're probably going to be his top priority. And who knows if he's even going into college right after high school? He seems like he's the type that'll take a year off before even thinking about that."

"What about you and Kyoya-senpai?" Haruhi wondered, "What are you doing?"

My stomach knotted up. I knew this was going to be the part where I'd have to tell my best friend I was going to be leaving again. So much for my morning of being perfect. Hello, other shoe. No. Stop it, Lana. Right there. This morning has gone so well. Don't start back sliding now just because Haruhi asked one little question. You know this one.

"Rhiannon's talking Kyoya into applying for NYU," I told her, "And she's going to get him into her shop. We've talked about getting an apartment there or at the very least, we'll be crashing with Rhiannon. As for me, I'm thinking NYU, too. She's trying to get me to go for fine arts, too."

"Are you artistic?" she topped off my tea.

"It has to be in the blood somewhere," I figured, "I don't know if I can even draw a decent stick figure, but I'm not too bad with different kinds of flowers. I'm sure that'd be good enough."

"You don't strike me as the type that would go into fine arts," Haruhi smiled, "You seem more like the English literature major than that."

"With all the writing nerds?" I bit my tongue, "I don't know about that."

"Come on, Lana," she scoffed, "I feel like you probably have a story or two you could tell. Besides, I've heard that writing things out can be therapeutic."

"I've been down that route," I admitted, "I have a journal floating around that my first doctor told me to keep when I got my initial diagnosis. But it never made me feel better. It just got my thoughts down on paper. If you're ever wanting to meet ten-year-old Lana, that's the read you want."

"No," Haruhi shot me down, "That's not for me. That's for you to read. Think about it. If you were to go back and read it now..."

"It'd throw me right back into that mind state."

"No," she continued, "Different perspective. Think of all the progress you've made since then. Hell, even since you came into the host club. I haven't seen you pass out since that day. And you seem a little happier than you were then."

"That's because I have you guys."

"Maybe this isn't my place," Haruhi cleaned up, "But there's something to be said about a good support system. I'm pretty sure you won't find a more supportive bunch than those boys. Sometimes it's not the support you want, but it's the support you need."

Haruhi made a damn good point. Everything started turning around for me when I went into the host club. Granted, it wasn't overnight, but it was something. And I loved that they were all there for me. Anytime I needed them. Quite literally. If I can call Kyoya at 2AM crying and he's on my doorstep at 2:10 or if I could be on the verge of stepping in front of a bus only to be stopped by Honey and Mori or if I'm damn near having a break down and Hikaru and Kaoru are there to shut me up, I think it's safe to say I have an incredible support system.

"Well," I grabbed my bag off the chair in my living room, "We should be going."

"Ok," Haruhi finished up the dishes and put them back in my china cabinet, "Let's go!"

And just like that, the two of us were out on the streets of Shibuya in search of something for me to wear for tonight. I had no idea about anything when it came to tonight's party. My trust completely went to Tamaki and the others to plan this. I didn't know themes, if any. I didn't know level of formality, but knowing the host club, I could make an educated guess. Formal, whether I liked it or not. I'm sure I could wing it.

"Hey, Lana," Haruhi thumbed through the rack with me, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I allowed, "Shoot."

"Why did you pick me?" she wondered, "It's just you and me, so you can tell me."

"Honestly?" I shrugged, "I was a little mad at Kyoya and wanted to get my vengeance."

"What did he do?" Haruhi gave me a look, "I thought Kyoya-senpai could do no wrong in your eyes."

"He got jealous," I remembered, "I was talking to Ritsu and apparently, he had a slight crush on me. Kyoya should know better and the fact that he didn't trust me enough to be able to handle something like that pissed me off."

"But you couldn't have picked one of the other boys?"

"He'd feel too threatened," I explained, "I didn't want to add salt to an open wound. Besides, with all the sucking up the boys did throughout the week, they drove me nuts. Sure, it was nice to be appreciated a little more, but once the novelty wears off by day three, I wanted to hit them."

"I'm impressed you didn't," she giggled, "I would've told them off on day two, but after having Senpai being so doting when it comes to me, I've adapted."

"And that leads me to you," I chimed, "You've been the best friend I've had since I've moved to Japan, Haruhi. Why not pick you?"

"Love you, too," Haruhi smiled, pulling out a white dress with some sequin detailing, "What about this one?"

"I don't know," I looked it over, "As weird as this is going to sound, it looks too innocent. I like it, but I'm not thinking so. A little less virgin and a little more smoke show."

And if anyone knew exactly what I was looking for, it'd be my sister, but unfortunately, she was probably on her way to bed, if not sleeping already. Maybe Shibuya wasn't going to have what I was looking for. Maybe I was going to have to bite the bullet and go to the one place I was afraid to shop.

"So, what are you looking for?" Haruhi asked as we walked out of our first store, "Virgin killer sweaters and lingerie?"

"Not quite that," I chuckled, "Maybe something in black. Can never go wrong with black, right?"

"That's true," she agreed, "Where to now?"

"As much as it's going to be a definite push outside the comfort zone," I grinned, "Let's go to Harajuku."

"Are you sure?" Haruhi questioned my sanity, "I could see Rhiannon going there, but you?"

"I'm positive," I assured, "Let it be known that on this day, I, Lana Smith, of relatively sound mind, is going to Harajuku and I'm not going to get overly anxious."

"Ok," she wasn't going to fight me. Something tells me that Tamaki has tried dragging Haruhi here once or twice, but they'd walk out empty handed. Although, there was a lingerie shop we passed that had a familiar pair of lacy red panties that I've seen hanging on my boyfriend's chandelier before.

Wow...My first trip to Harajuku. I always thought it'd be with Rhiannon, but here I was with Haruhi, of all people. Oh, well. It'll be fun, right? With all the bright colors and the serious case of sensory overload, it's impossible not to smile here. And the smell of different crepe stands was absolutely intoxicating. Perhaps that's where we should begin.

No. Lana, we're here on a mission. You're looking for something black. What kind of black am I looking for, though? Did I want to go ruffled? Did I want something that looked very Goth Lolita? That didn't sound too bad. Did I want something a little Victorian inspired? Did I want flat black? This was going to be a bigger pain in the ass than I previously surmised, wasn't it?

That is, until I found a store that said it offered bondage inspired clothing. Of course, me being the innocent little flower wanting to break out of that for tonight would be a mixture of unsure and curious. I had no idea what bondage inspired would be like. Going by the look on Haruhi's face, she was clueless, too. Before we jumped in this store head first, we went to get crepes and make a quick video call. It's only midnight in New York right now.

"Hi, sweetie," Rhiannon answered her phone, not sounding like I woke her up, "What's up?"

"Hey, Rhi," I beamed, missing my sister a little more, "Haruhi's here, too."

"Hi, Rhiannon!" Haruhi chimed in.

"Hi, Haruhi!" my sister's face lit up, "To what do I owe pleasure?"

"The boys are throwing me a party tonight," I filled her in, "And we're out looking for something for me to wear tonight."

"Where are you right now?" she asked.

"Guess," I panned the camera around.

"LANA MAE, WHAT IS MEEK AND MILD LITTLE YOU DOING IN HARAJUKU?!" Rhiannon squealed, "AND WITHOUT ME? I'M SO JEALOUS!"

"Settle down," I shut her up, "Before you give yourself a nosebleed."

"Seriously, though," she gasped, "What brings you two to a place like Harajuku?"

"I couldn't find anything in Shibuya," I shrugged, "I'm kind of looking for something out of my comfort zone and I need to ask you something."

"And what's that, my dear sister?" Rhiannon had such a dirty grin on her face. If I didn't know any better, I'd think she was taking lessons from Hikaru and Kaoru.

"What does bondage inspired mean?" I asked.

"Oh, my," she blushed, "You really are looking for something out of your comfort zone, aren't you? Kyoya, you lucky boy."

"I'm not going with Kyoya tonight," I corrected, "I'm going with Haruhi, but that's a long story for another day. Focus, Rhiannon. Bondage inspired."

"Bondage inspired, huh?" Rhiannon thought for a minute while Maka laid his head on her lap.

"Hi, Maka," I gushed. To no surprise, his tongue was on Rhiannon's screen.

"And you're telling me to focus," she chuckled, "Ok. Bondage inspired is going to be constricting and probably leather. And it'll look like something someone's going to wear in the bedroom and I'm not talking about footie pajamas. It's going to be something that oozes sex appeal. I don't think you'd be into that sort of thing, sweetheart."

"Actually," I smirked, "That's kind of perfect. I'm looking for something sexy. I don't want innocent."

"She told me she's looking for something less virgin," Haruhi explained, "and a little more smoke show."

"Go forth and conquer, child!" Rhiannon applauded, "If you're wanting to floor your boyfriend, that's the way to go. Whatever store has this, go in there now and take me with you. In all seriousness, I think you're a little young for something like that, but you're a big girl. If you think you can handle it and you're comfortable, I'm not going to stop you. Just be prepared for the attention it's going to get you."

"I will be," I assured as Haruhi and I started heading for that store, "I got it."

"What is this?" Rhiannon wondered, "Where did this sudden surge of confidence come from, Lana?"

"I don't know," I wondered the same thing, "But I like it."

"That's my girl."

Haruhi and I went thumbing through the racks of the black leather dresses (and some with silver chain detailing on them that I was kind of in love with) and I found one that stole my heart completely. Inch wide leather straps crossed a couple times up my chest and around my neck, giving a perfect window to any cleavage connecting to braided leather rope served as the shoulder straps. And at the top of my hips, cutting into my waist were symmetrically cut openings, flashing a little bit of skin there. The back was entirely lace, minus the spot in the middle of my back where the corset laces went. This was gorgeous and I needed it in my life.

"This one," I grabbed it off the rack in my size and ran into the nearest dressing room.

"Lana," Haruhi winced from the other side, "Are you sure? I thought you said you weren't looking for virgin killer sweater."

"This isn't virgin killer sweater," I assured, "This is a step above."

"What's so bad about them anyway?" Rhiannon, the proud owner of three (in cream, mint, and black), if I remember correctly, got defensive.

"Nothing," Haruhi retaliated, "She said she didn't want virgin killer sweater extremeness. This seems more overboard than that."

"Relax," I looked over my shoulder in the mirror, lacing up the back. Damn, I look good from this angle, "I have a feeling that I'm going to be walking out of here with this dress, though."

I did a spin to the front and looked myself over. Oh my god…I think I've created a monster. But that was me. Am I my own monster? I think so. Hot damn, Lana! You have successfully created the smoke show! We have about ten seconds before the sprinklers start going off. I looked like a mixture of a dominatrix and a succubus demon. I loved it!

"Lana," Rhiannon called out from my phone in Haruhi's hands, "You done yet?"

"I'm busy checking myself out," I did more spins in the mirror, "Hold on."

"Just come here," she grumbled, "I'm tired as balls and I'd like to go to bed some time soon."

"Fine," I pulled back the curtain and did a spin for my best friend and my sister, "Well?"

"My god," Rhiannon gasped.

"Wow, Lana," Haruhi's eyes were about to pop out of her head, "That's…really revealing."

"You have to admit, though," I smirked, "I look good."

"As your sister," Rhiannon critiqued, "I want to cover you in multiple turtlenecks until you can't put your arms down."

"But…?"

"As not your sister," she mirrored me, "Damn, girlfriend. Kyoya is a very lucky boy."

"Can you breathe in that, Lana?" Haruhi worried, "It looks awfully tight."

"I can breathe just fine," I nodded, "This is it. This is the one. I'm getting this."

"Good for you, Lana!" Rhiannon praised, "I'm proud of you!"

I'm proud of myself. Despite how annoying the boys were this week, something must have gotten knocked loose. Because I was going to walk into the ballroom of Ouran Academy in something like this and knock everyone out. It was kind of nice to walk into a dressing room and not have a total breakdown. Even though I had my sister's stamp of approval, I wanted one more. Just to be sure.

"Hey, Rhi," I took my phone back, "I'm going to have to hang up with you for a bit, ok?"

"Go ahead," she allowed, "I'm going to bed. Have fun tonight, sweetie. Haruhi, treat her like a lady."

"I will," Haruhi giggled, "I'm sure I won't have her out too late either."

"And Lana," Rhiannon finished, "I love you. Call me later, ok?"

"Love you, too, Rhi," I melted, "Bye!"

"Bye!"

I miss my sister. If Rhiannon were seeing this in person, I feel like she'd really come through with that turtleneck threat. They'd be in loud colors and patterns out of spite, so I'd never do something like this again. But right now, I had bigger fish to fry. I knew I looked amazing right now, but I had to get a fourth opinion from a professional.

"What are you doing?" Haruhi wondered, "Sending a picture to Kyoya-senpai? Showing him what he's missing out on?"

"Kyoya's going to see this tonight," I reminded her, opening up my texts, "I'm not sending him pictures."

 _Hey, Yuzuha. It's Lana. Can I pick your brain?_

 _LS_

Beep!

Awesome! Immediate response!

 _Of course, sweetheart. What do you need?_

 _YH_

"Hey, Haruhi," I gave her my phone, "Do you mind taking a picture for me?"

"Sure," Haruhi opened up the camera, "Who are you sending these to?"

"I don't know if you know this," I posed, "But when I was still living in London a couple months ago, Hikaru and Kaoru tagged along with their mom to come see me. I ended up in one of her fashion shows."

"That's right," she remembered, "Hikaru and Kaoru came back and showed us pictures. I thought Kyoya-senpai was going to have a heart attack."

"In that time," I took my phone back, "I ended up meeting their mom and she absolutely adores me. I'm sure she's going to want to see this."

I pulled up my texts again, attaching one of the pictures Haruhi took.

 _I got a party to go to tonight. Thoughts?_

 _LS_

I couldn't wait to get that message. Haruhi looked at me in slight disbelief, "You're getting professional advice from their mom?"

"Not like I'm getting it from my mom."

Beep.

Awesome!

 _So many words…_

 _YH_

Beep!

 _First of all, Lana, put some clothes on._

 _YH_

That was to be expected. Yuzuha had seen me as her own in London.

Beep.

 _That's awfully fierce for the little girl I met in London._

 _Strappy silver heels and a silver bag. And keep that little sapphire around your neck._

 _YH_

But I think I have her approval, "I love her."

"I've never met Yuzuha," Haruhi admitted, "But something tells me she's a force to be reckoned with just like her sons."

"Oh, yeah," I nodded, "She's pretty great."

With a quick swipe of Kyoya's credit card, Haruhi and I went back to my place to pick up a few things and then to hers to actually get ready. I shot my boyfriend a quick text letting him know I was doing ok and where I was going to be. Although, I honestly thought that when Haruhi and I were going back to her place, I thought we were going to be alone.

"Lana!" Ranka greeted us, throwing his arms around me. I couldn't be mad at him. Once I got past the initial shock of meeting him, Haruhi's dad was so sweet. Hating Ranka felt like a mortal sin.

"Hi, Ranka!" I surrendered to his embrace.

"What are you doing back in Japan?" he wondered, "I thought you moved back to London."

"I did for a while," I confirmed, "But thanks to Kyoya's brother, I ended up getting a renewal on my Ouran scholarship, so here I am!"

"So, that's why you went to London with the host club, Haruhi," Ranka beamed, over the moon to have me back, "You could've just told me."

"I'm sorry," Haruhi threw her bag on the couch, "You didn't ask."

"What do you two have planned for tonight?" he peeked over at the light pink bag I put on the kitchen table.

"The host club's throwing a party to celebrate my triumphant return," I filled him in, "I picked Haruhi to be my escort."

"Sounds like fun," Ranka chirped, "Show me your dress."

"Hold on," I ran to the bathroom with the bag in hand and put it back on. I swear to God, I'm going to end up pulling my shoulder, tying the back, but I could do it. I laced up the strappy heels Yuzuha suggested and came back into the living room, "See? Cute, right?"

Ranka's face went blank. I've never seen this man with no emotion before. I didn't know what to make of it. To be honest, I'm a little scared. Not quite peeing myself scared, but just about, "Lana…"

"Yeah…?" I shook a bit. Maybe this wasn't the one. Why did I have to try something new?

"Never mind," he wrapped me in a sweater. And a hoody. And another hoody. And another sweater. And a jacket, "There! Perfect."

"Don't you think that's a little extreme?" I started peeling layers off.

"Not at all," Ranka put another sweater on me, "You can't fault a loving father for wanting to keep his little girl's virtue intact."

"Sorry, Ranka," I bit my tongue, "That ship sailed in London when Kyoya surprised me for my birthday. I had to surprise him back."

"Kyoya…" a dark cloud emanated around him.

"Really?" Haruhi was just as surprised.

"Yeah," I nodded, "Not many know about that. Hell, Rhi doesn't even know."

"Lana, do you have a jacket?" Ranka snapped out of the shadows.

"Yeah," I pulled one out of the bag. A bright, white, leather one.

"Put it on," he insisted, "And don't take it off for the rest of the night."

"Dad," Haruhi stepped in for me, "Please."

"I don't want her giving off the wrong impression," Ranka defended.

"I think I can handle this," I settled him, "But thank you, Ranka. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get ready for this party."

I slipped undetected into Haruhi's bathroom and got to work. Rhiannon didn't give me much for lessons, but that's what I had the internet for, right? I pulled up a YouTube tutorial on my phone for a soft, simple cut crease. Ideally, I'd have Rhiannon doing this for me, but she's sleeping and an entire ocean away. I could do this, though. A little patience and a little more practice.

And before I knew it, I looked like an actual goddess. Like Aphrodite would've been proud. I let my hair fall straight over my shoulders and I looked like a damn queen. Yes, peasants. Lick the blood from my heels that I just murdered someone with. My god, Lana. Settle down. You're talking murder here. You don't have the heart nor the ambition for something like that. But somebody would be kissing my feet tonight.

I looked at the clock on my phone. 7:46PM, "Haruhi!"

"Yeah?"

"I'm ready."

 **A/N: And we're going to stop here. This chapter is already hella long. That way, I already have next week outlined! Yay! But hi! HELLO! I AM BACK! We're not doing bomb week yet, though. We're going to wait until July. But we'll talk more about that later.**

 **I'm sure you're curious as to how my trip went? Well…It went. Let's just leave it at that. Too long and I missed the hell out of you guys. And we're going to get to the party party next week. I promise. Speaking of this week's chapter, can we talk about Lana's little glow up here? Is this going to be a one time thing or is someone waking the dragon here? I don't know. Honestly, I have no idea how long cocky, confident Lana's going to stick around. The boys put her on a power trip and she's riding out the high. I say let her. Even though Ranka put on his dad hat with her. And I love it. I also love the relationship Lana has with his daughter. She was for Haruhi what she needs all the time. See? Lana's not always completely broken. She has her moments. And I'm quite proud of her progress. And not only did Ranka put the dad hat on, but both Rhiannon AND Yuzuha put the mom hat on! I have such a buzz going right now from this story.**

 **But I'm sorry this is up so late. If you read yesterday's Black Butler update, you know this already, but it's been an uphill struggle getting back into the swing of things here. All I'm asking is for a little bit of patience for the next couple weeks, ok? Please? Thank you! I'm going to shut up now and I'll see you next chapter! xx**


	23. Coming Out of Her Shell

**A/N: Hi, guys. I'm just preparing you. Not necessarily through the story, but at the end, I might be doing some venting. We'll see how I'm doing when I'm done with this. But we need to get on a more positive note. Because I'm pretty sure they both think I'm ignoring them, but I'm not. Don't you think I forgot. We have a very, very special shout out to make right now.**

 **Friday, because I was updating on FictionPress, I didn't get the chance to do something for these babes, but they know I love them both dearly and I'm sure they're both going to kick my ass for something like this, but *whispers* if you guys want to go wish my favorite pair of twins that are basically my Hikaru and Kaoru in real life a belated happy birthday, I suggest you slide into the DMs of havarti2 and the Utterly Fabulous Z and drop them some love. Because they're both wonderful human beings and some of my favorites. So, in short, I love you guys and I'm going to get to a pretty killer party, if that's alright with you.**

Beep!

Well, well. Look who we have here. I bet he wishes he wouldn't have gotten so jealous because I managed to make friends with a boy outside of the host club on my own. And happens to also have mafia connections. No, Lana. You've gotten over that. You're not going to be petty. You know why Kyoya did what he did. Sure, it was a little because of jealousy, but it came from a place of love.

 _Whenever you're ready, we're waiting downstairs._

 _KO_

 _On our way. x_

 _LS_

"Hey, Haruhi," I stuck my head in her bedroom, "You ready?" The boys are outside."

"Yeah," Haruhi came out, "You look nice tonight, Lana."

"Thanks," I blushed, "Am I enough to floor Kyoya?"

"I'd say so," she nodded, "Dad! Lana and I are leaving. We'll probably be back around eleven, but that's always subject to change. If we're out later, I'll let you know."

"Alright, dear," Ranka let us go, "And remember, Lana. Keep your jacket on."

"Bye, Ranka," I looked too damn hot to stay covered up. How would Ranka know anyway? His daughter and I took off and ogt into the limo waiting for us at the bottom of her stairs, "Hello, gentleman. Konbanwa."

"Wow, Lana," the twins gasped.

"You look super cute, Lana-chan," Honey awed with Mori giving an agreeing grunt.

"You guys can hardly see me," I settled them, "Wait until you can get a better look."

"I already know you're gorgeous," Kyoya whispered in my ear, kissing my cheek.

"Hi there," I wiggled under him.

"I missed you," he snaked his arm around me, 'I haven't seen you all day."

"I missed you, too," I laid my head on his shoulder. I could be salty all I wanted about the incident with Ritsu. At the end of the day, I knew I still loved him.

Once we got to Ouran, I was the last one to get out of the car. Sure enough, the desired result I had for my dress was successfully achieved. Good for you, Lana. You're officially your own sex symbol. In hindsight, Rhiannon had a point. Kyoya was a very, very lucky boy.

"Lana," Tamaki's eyes were about to pop out of his head. And possibly blood from his nose, "You're...You are showing a lot of skin tonight..."

"Yes, I am," I nodded, wrapping myself around my boyfriend's arm, "Is that a problem?"

"It's ok with us," the twins hummed.

"Kyoya?" I turned my attention to my boyfriend, "You're awfully quiet."

"I know what you're doing, Lana," Kyoya's embrace tightened, "You don't think I get the charges for seventy-five thousand yen spent in Harajuku sent to my phone? Don't get me wrong. I love that you're coming out of your shell here and I'm proud of you. Just know that you and I are going to be spending some quality time together later tonight in a more biblical sense when we get back to your place. Until then, shall we go inside and enjoy ourselves?"

"Let's," I kissed his cheek, letting my pettiness go.

The music was up, the lights were flashing, and everything was looking up. Tonight was going to be a good night. I looked hot. I had Kyoya a little riled up. Life was good. I'm sure that if I were still living in the US, a homecoming party would be a lot different than this. It'd be for sports that I didn't care about in one way or another with a bunch of stupid, drunk teenagers. At least when I get mildly drunk with Haruhi and the boys, we weren't stupid about it. Nobody fuels anyone else's fire. But I'd take this homecoming over that one any day of the week. The best part of this party, though? All of the weird looks and hushed whispers I was getting from different frequent flyers of the host club.

"Isn't that Kyoya's girlfriend?"

"The quiet girl from our homeroom?"

"No way. She looks totally different."

"And what's she doing with Haruhi?"

"Did her and Kyoya break up?"

"Is she dating Haruhi now?"

Oh, the Ouran rumor mill was going to be running strong on Monday and I couldn't wait. Maybe I did have the glow up of the century. Maybe I was dating Haruhi. Maybe Kyoya and I did split up. Hell no! Deep down, I was still me. Kyoya and I were discussing our future together in an entirely different country just days ago. OUR future. And Tamaki's busy dating Haruhi. I couldn't split those two up. I'd feel too guilty. Haruhi and I were merely friends. Maybe I should squelch some of those fires before they burn too bright.

I found Kyoya off in the corner, watching over this party like a hawk, making sure that everything was going according to plan. What a nerd. But he was my nerd. I laid my head on his shoulder, curling into him. That should be enough fan service (or fuel for the jealousy and broken hearts) to shut up the school's gossips about Kyoya and me not being a thing anymore.

"Like watching animals at the zoo, isn't it?" he asked, putting his arm around me.

"You're the only person I know," I cuddled, "that goes to a party just to watch."

"You can't tell me you've never done the same thing," Kyoya argued.

"Not because I want to," I defended, "Because I can't stand most of the people there. But you guys are ok."

"I'm honored," he kissed my forehead, "Look, Lana…I really am sorry about getting so jealous about you befriending Kasanoda. I know that's why you are the way you are now. I know that's why you picked Haruhi over me. I should really give you more credit than I do. At the same time, I don't want you to test your stability only for you to shatter."

"I understand," I turned into a puddle, "But look where that shattering got me. Can I tell you something?"

"Of course."

"I had to shake off every insecurity, every fear I had when I went back into the host club that day," I confessed, "When I went back, I was going to tell each and every one of you off and never go in there again. Every red flag in my head was up and I had to fight so hard to keep moving toward the music room. And I did it on my own. But I froze and I couldn't go through with it. Now that I have you and the others, I don't have to worry about shattering because I know you guys are going to be there with the super glue to put me back together no matter how long it takes. I'm right, aren't I?"

"Always," Kyoya shook a little. Wow. I think I might have struck a nerve with him, "If not the rest of them, at least me. I can't tell you how thankful I am that you came back."

"My second favorite mistake," I hid a smile from him.

"In that case," he stood, offering me his hand, "May I have this dance, princess?"

"You know that doesn't work on me, Kyoya," I giggled, "I am immune to the host charms. All of you."

"That's because you see us all the time," Kyoya pointed out, "You know every little hosting trick in the book. And you're too smart to fall for them."

"Thank you," I stole one quick kiss as he pulled me up to my feet. In my heels, I was nearly at eye level, but I still fit perfectly in his chest. And it was there we stayed as some soft song played around us. This was where we were meant to be at this very moment. His jealousy and my pettiness aside, we were going to be ok. That'd definitely snuff out the rumors.

Later on in the night, I felt my phone buzzing in my bag. Weird. I told Rhiannon that I'd be otherwise occupied tonight. It's ten o'clock here, so nine o'clock in the morning there. Why would she be texting me? Knowing her, she's still asleep. Not Rhiannon.

 _Where are you?_

 _RK_

Ritsu?

 _Ouran. Why?_

 _LS_

That's weird. Ritsu never texts me.

Beep!

 _Come outside._

 _RK_

Even weirder yet. He doesn't ask? He just tells me to come outside? At least he's not calling me for bail money. Only Rhiannon does that and she's the only one that can get away with it. And she only did that once. So, I broke away from the group and started heading outside. But because he's an overbearing mother some days.

"Lana," Kyoya stopped me, "You ok?"

"I'm fine," I promised, "I'll be right back."

"Ok," he let me go, but not without slipping me a kiss first. Yeah. It's safe to say those imagined rumors of us splitting up were false.

When I got outside, Ritsu stood outside, leaned up against his motorcycle. Damn nice bike. If my sister were here, she'd be swooning or possibly already a puddle. And the way he stood was definitely swoon worthy. If I wasn't with Kyoya, I'd give him serious consideration right now. Once I got into one of the streetlights, a little trickle of blood came out of his nose.

"We're going to have to do something about that," I giggled, getting him a tissue from my bag, "Hi."

"Wow, Lana," Ritsu wiped his nose, "You're gorgeous…"

"Thanks," I blushed, "I've been getting that a lot tonight. What are you doing here? I thought you said host club parties weren't your kind of thing."

"I'm surprised they're your kind of thing," he gave me a look, "You looking for an out?"

"No," I shook my head, "I'm actually having fun. Believe it or not, I do go to the host club parties of my own free will."

"What are you doing after?" Ritsu asked with the utmost sincerity in his eyes. Was he still hitting on me despite the hell that would be brought down on him? No. He knows better. I think.

"I'm going home," I told him, "Then, I'll probably take my dress off, put pajamas on, and go to bed."

"Oh…"

"But," I couldn't let him go away with such a sad look on his face, "I'm free tomorrow. Maybe then? I could do breakfast."

"Ok," he agreed, "I can do that. Pick you up at ten?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "Kyoya should probably be gone by then."

"So, he's crashing with you?" Ritsu winced a little.

"Yes," I confirmed, doing a few poses, "Can you blame him for not wanting to sleep with this?"

"Not at all," he looked me over, "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Sure will," I smiled, going back inside. And who's the first person to find me?

"Hey," Kyoya took my arm, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," I assured, "It was getting a little warm in there. Too many people."

"You want to go home?" he offered, "Maybe come stay with me?"

"You're not staying with me?" I pouted, "Where you and I would be all alone. Come on, Kyoya."

"True," Kyoya pulled me against his chest, "You want to go say goodbye to everyone?"

"Of course," I took his hand and he led me to where the entire host club was sitting around, coming down from the high of the lights.

"Lana!" the twins chirped.

"It feels like we haven't seen you all night," Hikaru whined.

"Where have you been hiding?" Kaoru reciprocated the sentiment, "This party was for you."

"I've been making the rounds," I promised. Although, I've spent the majority of my night having fun with Haruhi and the rest was with my boys. Minus the ten minutes I was outside with Ritsu, but Kyoya didn't need to know that. It'd only make him worry more about me and he doesn't need that on his plate, "But we're going to take off."

"Does that mean we're going to your house again, Lana?" Tamaki hoped with the sparkly eyes of a little kid.

"No, Senpai," Haruhi stopped him, "You're not inviting yourself to Lana's house again."

"As much fun as it'd be to keep the party going," I shot him down, "She's right. I'm tired, I've had a very long day, and I really want to clock out."

"Ok," my best friend hugged me tight, "Good night, Lana. Thanks for picking me."

"Anytime," I smiled, "Atode!"

"Good night, Lana," Mori had Honey asleep in his lap.

"Night."

And just like that, Kyoya and I headed back to my place. Honey had the right idea. There was nothing I wanted more right now than to fall asleep in my boyfriend's arms. Kyoya pulled the knot at the top of my dress, letting it fall to my ankles. The prospects of putting on pajamas seemed like more effort than I was willing to put up. I did Shibuya, Harajuku, and a host club party in the same day. I'm sure I more than earned a few hours of sleep.

As I crawled into bed, Kyoya was right next to me with open arms, "Koko ni kite, koibito."

"My pleasure," I obliged, scooting into his embrace, "I really am tired, Kyoya. Can we hold off on that tonight? I'm sorry to do something like that to you, but…"

"Don't apologize," he shut me up, "It's fine. Besides, there's always Karuizawa next weekend."

"Can't wait," I laid my head in his chest.

"Me either," Kyoya kissed the top of my head, "You know, we should think about getting our own place there. That way, we know it's available whenever we need it."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," I shrugged, "I know it seems like a good idea, but if we're moving to New York after we graduate, we're going to have to find a new Karuizawa."

"Niagara Falls?" he suggested.

"Not the same," I assured, "Not to mention, Niagara Falls is a lot further away from New York than what Karuizawa is from Tokyo. That's not a day trip."

"We'll find something," Kyoya promised, "Until then, get some sleep."

"Ok," he didn't have to tell me twice, "Good night, baby."

"Night, Lana," his embrace enveloped me, keeping me warmer than my blankets, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

I was hardly awake for another second before completely slipping under. This was nice. This was sorely needed. After my petty ass had to go and push him away, being close with Kyoya was all I needed in life right now. Even more than that, waking up to his face was better. I didn't have it looking at me, but I had it on my forearm on my right side. Not adding to my tattoo? Ok. I understand.

I watched closely while the metallic marker gave a different shine to the frosted over flowers Kyoya was putting on my wrist. A beautiful contrast to the spring like sakura blossoms on my left wrist. He put his silver marker down and picked up a deep blood red. Weird. Whenever Kyoya drew on me, they were usually lighter colors. The flowers he was working on were a light blue and silver. I wonder where this was coming from. That is until I found three words written on my palm.

 _Good morning, gorgeous._

Almost immediately, I turned a light shade of pink, "Good morning to you, too."

"Sleep ok?" Kyoya asked, "You were awfully thrashy last night."

"Fine," I eased his mind, "I didn't accidentally hit you or something, did I?"

"No," he came up for a quick kiss, "You didn't have any plans for today, did you?"

"From ten to probably eleven, I'm booked," I told him, "But for the rest of the day, I'm free. Why? What did you have in mind?"

"What are you doing from ten to eleven?" Kyoya wondered.

"I'm grabbing breakfast with Ritsu," I got out of bed and started looking through my closet. Hopefully, Kyoya won't blow up about it.

"Lana…" he worried.

"I'll be fine," I rolled my eyes, "Don't worry, Kyoya."

"When did you plan on telling me this?" Kyoya asked, "And when were these plans made?"

"Now," I grabbed a sweater out of my closet (not a virgin killer sweater, though. It's a little cold for one of them yet. Although, I'd be lying if I said I didn't grab one when we were in Harajuku yesterday.) and a pair of leggings, "And yesterday. Kyoya, I promise you I'll be fine. We had this talk last night. Trust me. There's nothing going on with Ritsu and me. I love you too much to cheat on you and he wouldn't overpower me. I'll be gone an hour, tops. If you don't hear from me by eleven, then you can start to worry, but for now, I'm going to go get breakfast with a FRIEND. Is that ok?"

"Yeah," he allowed, giving me one last kiss, "That's fine. But please, Lana. For the sake of my sanity, call me at eleven. I went most of the day without seeing my girlfriend. I don't want today to be the same."

"Ok," I jumped in the shower and headed to the café down the street from my building. I needed my tea and mochi. Although, I must say I'm impressed with the way Kyoya handled that. Unless he was internalizing, but I don't think he was. We can chalk that one up to personal growth. I sat by myself in my regular booth with my mochi smiling at me. It's going to be a good day, Lana. The mochi say so.

"Hi," a familiar voice rumbled, "Mind if I sit here?"

"Not at all," I beamed, "Morning, Ritsu."

"I'm not getting you in trouble here, am I?" he asked. I guess the mochi was right. No nosebleed.

"With who?"

"Kyoya."

"No," I giggled, "It's sweet you're worried, but I have a way of making it up to him if this is getting under his skin."

"I know he doesn't like you hanging around me," Ritsu sighed, "Do you know why?"

"He thinks you're going to try something with me," I explained, "But you wouldn't, right?"

"No," he promised, "You're in a relationship, Lana. I have a moral code. I thought it was because of my yakuza connections, but I honestly don't like that I have them. It's not my fault that I was born into it and with a mean face."

"You don't have a mean face," I took his hand, "I'm a pretty good judge of character and I knew when I sat down in homeroom the day we met, you were ok. You didn't bring on any sort of attack for me. In fact, you actually prevented one."

"Attack?" Ritsu gave me a look, "I don't think those girls had the strength to fight you and cause any sort of real damage."

"No, no," I corrected him, "It's not them. It's more of a mental thing than a physical attack."

"Oh," he winced, "Sorry."

"It's ok," I let it slide, "Like I said, though, you stopped it. I don't really do well in sudden social situations. But this is ok. You'll learn what sets me off and what doesn't."

"I don't want to set you off, though," Ritsu dropped his gaze, "I have no idea how to even begin to handle something like that."

"There really is no right and wrong way," I told him, "It's just a matter of having someone there when things get really bad. As of right now, don't worry about it. I'm fine. I take something for that."

"Did you…" he wondered, "Did you take that something today?"

"Yeah," I slid my plate over to him, offering one of my fortune telling mochi, "You want one?"

"What kind are they?"

"Green tea and strawberry."

"Ok," Ritsu took one of the little green balls off the long, rectangular plate and popped it in his mouth, "Damn, these are good."

"Best mochi in Tokyo," I beamed, "I love this place."

Rustle, rustle.

In one of the plants on the dividing wall, I saw a pair of hands slink back into the greenery. Creepy. And Ritsu caught my confusion, "You ok? Do I need to do something?"

"No," I stared into the plant, "I don't think so anyway."

Until I saw a pair of eyes in the plant, "Lana, you're making me nervous."

"Hold on a sec. I have something to take care of," I glared. Maybe this was nothing. Maybe it was just a little kid being curious. Or worse, it was a spy. Nope. Not a spy. Two of them, "What the hell are you guys doing here and why are you being weird?"

"Hi, Lana," Hikaru and Kaoru ducked down in their booth on the other side.

"What a coincidence," Hikaru started.

"We run into you here," Kaoru finished.

"Because my building isn't just down the street," I scolded, "And I come here on a regular basis anyway. Again, I ask. What the hell are you two doing here?"

"Nothing!" Hikaru squeaked.

"We can come here, too!" Kaoru mirrored his brother.

"What are you doing with Kasanoda?" Hikaru wondered.

"He's a friend," I growled, "Did Kyoya send you?"

"We haven't talked to Kyoya-senpai since last night," Kaoru settled me, "We do actually come here once in a while."

"And we were on our way to see you anyway," Hikaru filled me in, "It's a win-win."

"Ok," I came down from my tirade, "Sorry, guys. He's got me paranoid."

"Is everything alright, Lana?" Ritsu joined us.

"Yeah," I let out a heavy sigh. Here I was telling Kyoya to trust me with Ritsu, but I can't even give him the benefit of the doubt when the twins show up.

 **A/N: I'm sorry this is out so late. It's been a bit of a day. I'm deciding not to vent. I want to keep this a positive space for now. If it gets too bad, I'll say something, but for now, I'm ok. I promise. I did start this early this morning and now, it's nearly 11PM when I'm posting this and I have an outline to do for Yuri on Ice tomorrow. So, if it's cool with you guys, I'm going to skip book clubbing this chapter and if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, you know where to leave them. I'll still be looking in on the review section. See you next chapter! xx**


	24. Little Things

**A/N: Hi, guys. Just a quick little heads up here. Things aren't going to be easy in this chapter. It's been a while since we've had a hard chapter and I needed to get some things off my chest. Some of you may already be up to speed on my struggles because of things like Tumblr and I told you last week there was a thing going on, but I'm going to get to work, ok?**

It's so nice to be home. My comfortable bed. My cozy apartment. Tokyo. All of my favorite places were within spitting distance. Everything was perfect. Or so I thought as I stared up at my bedroom ceiling. If everything was so good then, why was I feeling so down? And why did these things always have to happen at night?

Home is where the heart is, right? Or at least that's how the old saying goes. My family was in the US, but being in Iowa made my skin crawl. I didn't belong there. I hadn't belonged there since the day we moved there. I was still pretty young, but it's like everyone could smell it on me that I wasn't from there and if I wasn't a local, I was scum.

Whenever I was in New York with Rhiannon, the massive crowds got me anxious. I didn't do well with big crowds of people I knew, let alone people I've never seen before in my life. If Kyoya and I are going to move to New York together, I was going to have to get over that, but I'm pretty sure he'd be able to bring me down if and when need be.

Which brings me to London. Despite my love for the city and some of the people in it, I also had a lot of problems in London. That's all I could think about. Not to mention, it'd only remind me of being alone. And then, there was that incident with the bus in the road. I never wanted to go through something like that again.

But then...There was Tokyo. I loved it here. So much good has come from me being here. I found somewhere that felt like it could be home. If that was the case, why did I feel so empty? I don't want to be a nomad anymore. I need somewhere to settle down and establish roots. Somewhere to call my own. Maybe I wasn't meant to have a home. But I was sick of the nomadic life. I can't believe I'm actually homesick for a home I didn't even have.

I shouldn't be like this. I had my friends here. I had Kyoya. Why am I so depressed? Maybe I shouldn't have a home. I'm not worth it. I'm probably doomed to end up back in Iowa, working at some job I hate, dealing with my parents on a regular basis. No. I can't so that. I don't want that, but what other choice do I have?

Ow...In my panic attack, I ended up hitting my head on my bedroom wall. This was going to leave a mark, but at least it snapped me out of my headspace long enough to relatively bring myself back to earth. I wasn't meant to be left alone with my thoughts. I knew that much. My hand ran over the top of my nightstand in search of my phone. Eleven o'clock. I just hope he answers.

 _Hey. You up?_

 _LS_

Beep!

Thank God.

 _Yeah. I'm up._

 _KO_

I didn't want him to worry too much...

 _Can you come over?_

 _LS_

Beep!

 _What's the matter?_

 _KO_

 _I'm not good. Tell you when you get here. Will you just come over?_

 _LS_

After that, my phone went quiet. A couple minutes went by and I had no answer from Kyoya. I looked at my phone screen. Seen at 11:14PM. Ouch. Sure enough. I didn't deserve someone like Kyoya. Burdening him with my problems seemed almost selfish. Besides, he probably went back to sleep. I can't blame him. Should've kept my mouth shut.

Ring, ring!

Who the hell...? I slid my finger across my phone screen, "Hello?"

"Lana," Kyoya kept his voice down, "Your door is locked. Could you let me in?"

He's...He's here? Already? I crawled out of my blanket nest and grabbed the door. Sure enough, there he was. On the other side waiting, "Hi."

"Hey," Kyoya pulled me against his chest, "What's wrong? You told me you'd tell me when I got here. And here I am."

"I just didn't want to be by myself," I brought him back into my room, "It wasn't sitting well with me."

"Ok," he let it go, holding me tight for a while. Honestly, I think this was all I needed. Home wasn't always four walls and a roof. Sometimes, home was one bed, two arms, a soft blanket, and a warm body. Kyoya wasn't going to push me to talk about what was bothering me and I loved him for that. I'm sure it frustrated the hell out of him, knowing there was something wrong with me, but he didn't know what it was. However, he also knew that was something I had to come to him with. He met me halfway. And that's all I wanted.

My feeling of being homesick was only the beginning of my problems, though. A recap reel of the party flashed through my mind, making my stomach turn. I danced. In front of people. In front of a lot of people. In a way that made me look like all I was missing was a pole. Not to mention, I was already half naked. Dammit. I'm going to spiral again, aren't I?

"Kyoya..." I spoke barely above a whisper.

"What, koibito?" Kyoya cradled me so delicately.

"I really screwed up," I shook a little.

"And how did you do that?" he asked, keeping me steady.

"Remember the party the host club threw me last night?"

"I know of it."

"All of my confidence I had," I bit my lip, "That just went out the window. That was all as fake as the day is long. I was running on pure spite."

"Spite?" Kyoya gave me a look, "What were you so spiteful about?"

I debated whether or not to tell him it was his fault. I'm this far down the rabbit hole. I might as well be honest with him, "To tell you the truth, I was still a little pissed about the whole situation with you getting jealous over Ritsu and that kind of fueled me. But I didn't think that through too well. What am I going to do tomorrow morning?"

"Stay by me," he held me tighter, "By all of us. You know we'll take care of you, Lana. You'll be alright."

"And all the looks?" I cringed.

"Ignore them," Kyoya demanded, "They're just looks. Think of them as admiration instead of judgment and you'll be fine."

"God, I hope so," I cuddled into my boyfriend's chest, feeling perfectly safe and content. It's nice to know that, despite everything, he's still here. And so quick, too. Sending for Kyoya is quicker than sending for a pizza. I don't know why I'm so surprised, though. I shouldn't be. At the end of the day, I'm pretty sure I'll always have him.

"Get some sleep, Lana," he kissed the top of my head, "We have to be at school in roughly seven hours. We can't always sleep through biology and the possibility of me joining you in Honey-senpai's daybed for a quick nap is nonexistent."

"Aishiteru," I blinked, my eyelids growing heavier and heavier by the second.

"I love you, too," Kyoya and I drifted back to sleep together. All was right with the world. I was still a little sketchy, but that was probably sleep deprivation talking. I'll be fine. I had my rock.

That is until homeroom Monday morning. I sat down in my usual seat in the furthest back corner, but one row toward the door. Perfect. A nice spot by the window. If all goes south, I had the beautiful view of the sakura trees starting to bud to keep me from really freaking out. But because we couldn't leave well enough alone, the usual duo that frequented the host club sat directly in front of me.

"Lana!" they chimed simultaneously, reminding me of another pair I knew and loved. Only not as loving as them.

"What?" my hands went right to the little sapphire around my neck out of nervous habit. Busy hands are steady hands. Steady hands make for a steady mind.

"What got into you Saturday night?" the blonde asked me.

"Other than the obvious," her friend gave her a nudge to her ribs.

"Obvious?" I didn't understand.

"Did you not see Kyoya?" she elaborated, "He was like a dog with a bone. You saw her dress. Kyoya was taking it off her with his eyes."

If Kyoya managed to keep is hands to himself," she scoffed, "I don't give his self-control enough credit. I mean, she was practically throwing herself at him."

"And what was the deal with you and Haruhi?" the other wondered, "You and Kyoya are a thing, but you were there with Haruhi."

"Is everything ok with you and Kyoya?"

"Maybe Haruhi's just a little something on the side."

"I think he's cuter than Kyoya."

"And Haruhi's a better conversationalist than Kyoya."

"I can see why you're cheating on him, Lana," the blonde jumped to conclusions, "And Haruhi's a sweetheart. He knows how to make a girl happy."

"Hey," a familiar, grumbly voice shut them up, "Leave her alone."

The two of them scattered. Even though I had Kyoya's fake yakuza credentials, it's nice to have the real deal on my side. When I opened my mouth to thank him, I couldn't get words to come out. I can't believe they'd think I'd even consider cheating on Kyoya. That wasn't happening. And not with Haruhi. She's got a boyfriend.

"Hi, Lana," Ritsu greeted me like any other day, "Are you ok?"

I couldn't speak. I was too frozen in my mind to do anything. I shook my head.

"Oh!" he freaked a little, "What do I do?"

I stuck my shaking hand out, leaving Ritsu to interpret.

"Do you want me to hold your hand?" he guessed.

I nodded. And he took my hand.

"It's ok," Ritsu attempted to comfort me, "I think. We're ok, right?"

The fact that he was making an effort to help me was rather endearing. Thank you, Ritsu. You're more of a help to me right now than you think you are. I just wish I could tell you. I've gone nonverbal for a minute. Please check back later for a more appropriate response. Although, my shaking was starting to settle down a bit. A little progress is better than no progress at all.

"Maybe we should talk about something else?" he figured.

I nodded.

"I don't know if I can point this out," Ritsu tiptoed, "But what's on your arm? Left side."

"This?" Hey! I make words! About time. I hate getting tongue tied like that. Slowly, without revealing too much, I eased my cardigan sleeve up my arm, "It's the view outside the host club."

"Did Kyoya draw that on you?" he wondered.

"At one time, yeah," I smiled, "That's not what he drew this morning, but at one time, he did draw this on me."

"Markers have a hell of a staying power," Ritsu joked.

"This isn't marker," I gave him a better look, "It's a tattoo."

"You have a tattoo?" I thought Ritsu's eyes were about to pop out of his skull.

"Yeah," I nodded, "My sister did it when I spent this past summer with her in New York. In fact, Kyoya and I are going to probably be living with her once we graduate while we look for an apartment."

"That's great, Lana," Ritsu wasn't even looking at me anymore. His eyes were down at his phone screen.

"Who's that?" I asked, curious as to who he'd be texting while I was in the middle of coming down from a minor crisis.

"Mori-senpai," he shoved his phone back in his pocket, "I'm sorry. I was texting him to text Kyoya and tell him about you. I'm sure Kyoya could take better care of you once class is over than I could."

"For your first time," I squeezed Ritsu's hand a little tighter, "You didn't do half bad. Thank you, Ritsu. I could've been a whole hell of a lot worse, but because of you, I was good again. Really. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he shot me a quick smile. One of those things that I'm guessing didn't happen often. Before we knew it, the bell rang, "I'll see you later."

"Bye," I grabbed my bag off the floor and started toward my next class. Only to find Kyoya waiting for me outside my homeroom, "Hi."

"Hey," Kyoya threw his arm around my shoulders, hopefully dispelling any rumors of us not being in a good place in the relationship, "I just got a text from Mori-senpai saying you weren't doing good. You ok?"

"People talk," I cringed, "But fortunately, Ritsu helped. He talked me through things. I'm a little better and you just made me ok again."

"I heard," he held my hand and walked with me to class, "I really should give Kasanoda more credit."

"See?" I smirked, "I told you he wasn't going to try anything stupid."

"I got a little defensive," Kyoya admitted, "Can you blame me?"

"Not at all," I laid my head in his shoulder, "I'll see you in biology."

"I love you," Kyoya gave me one little kiss and sent me off to class. I really do love that boy. And I love even more that he's finally coming around to the idea of Ritsu. I mean, it's only been a week, but a little progress is better than none, right?

 **A/N: Look at that…Our little boy is growing up. I'm so proud. Also, I'd like to give the real MVP award to one Ritsu Kasanoda for keeping Lana's head above water, despite every fiber of his being pushing him under. Good for you, Kasanoda. Four for you. And I want to gush a little bit over the beginning of this chapter. Because I was having a not so good night a few days ago and that very conversation was what played out in my head. How I was wishing I had a Kyoya and what he'd do if he were actually mine. And that's how the opening happened. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a card game to get to. See you next chapter! xx**


	25. Accepted

**A/N: …Guess what today is…...? HAPPY DAY ONE OF OURAN BOMB WEEK! Yay! I missed you all so very, very much! How we doing? Good? Not so good? Should I just shut up and get on with the story? Well, I'm going to be a sweetheart here and give you a quick recapity doo, ok? And to all of my fans that don't speak English as a first language, I'm so sorry for saying things like recapity doo. A recap, but more fun. Alright then! A recap…ity doo…**

 **When we last left off, there was a bit of an incident. Lana had her first panic attack in front of Kasanoda, who handled it like a dream for never handling it before. And everything is a little peachier than before. Kyoya's come around to the idea of having Kasanoda around. He helped out his woman, he's ok in his book. His scary black book…That may or may not be a Death Note, according to potential internet lore. But! For now, I'm going to shut up and let you do that one thing you come here to do. I'll be waiting at the bottom…I'll miss you. But I can wait.**

It's hard to believe it's already March. It feels like just yesterday I was flying back to Tokyo with the host club. Now, I'm only a couple months away from graduating. Kyoya and I would be moving to New York, regardless of our NYU acceptance. Life was coming up roses and I wasn't going to complain.

And possibly the best part of everything, we had a break coming up! Only a couple weeks away. Kyoya and I had already talked it over. While the others were going out of the country-Hikaru and Kaoru in Switzerland, Tamaki and Haruhi sneaking to France, and Honey and Mori to Dubai-Kyoya nd I decided to stay local. I liked our rut in Karuizawa. And Misuzu always let us in with open arms. Granted, he'd turn around and give Ranka a full report of what we did, but that was fine. Just a way he showed he cared.

I got past everyone's little idiosyncricies when it came to me. Even Ritsu was starting to develop a couple. Especially when we'd hang out after school. Anyone that would even look at me or in my general direction would meet Ritsu's icy glare, crap themselves, and go about their lives. At least he kept me safe. It's like having Mori, but a little more threatening.

When I walked into the host club on a relatively rainy Thursday afternoon, the whole room looked like its own world. My god, this place looekd like paradise. The host club must be going tropical today. As the delivery guys were setting everything up, the host club was huddled around Kyoya's desk. Weird. Usually, Kyoya doesn't let anyone other than me get even that close.

"Hey, guys," I approached them slowly, so I didn't spook them, "What's going on?"

"Lana," Kyoya pulled me down to his lap, "I'm so glad you're here."

"You're scaring me, baby," I shook a little, "Talk to me. The last time something like this happened to me, I ended up in the hospital."

"It's nothing like that," he assured, showing me a large envelope, "Do you know what this is?"

"It appears to be an envelope," I jabbed, reading the return address. NYU...? Now, I understood, "Is this what I think it is?"

"I thought we could open it together," Kyoya ran his thumb under the seal.

"It's our first acceptance letter," Tamaki got all excited, "Open it, Kyoya!"

"Like we don't already know what it says," I kissed his cheek.

"Merely a formality," Kyoya pulled the letter out and read it to himself.

"Well?" Hikaru asked.

"What's it say, Kyoya-senpai?" Kaoru waited with baited breath, just like the rest of us.

"Surprise, surprise," Kyoya smirked, "I've been accepted. I'll be starting at NYU in the fall."

"I'm so proud of you," I cuddled into his shoulder, "If you got your acceptance letter already, I wonder if mine's come in yet."

"I don't see why not," he figured.

"Congratulations, Kyoya-senpai," Haruhi praised, "I know yours is going to say the same thing, Lana."

"She's number three in our class," Kyoya gushed, "They'd be lucky to have you."

"Anyone would be lucky to have her!" Tamaki pulled me away from my boyfriend, hugging me tight, "It's Lana!"

"Hold on," I managed to get out of his grip, "I'm number three?"

"That's right," Kyoya got me back.

"Who's one and two?" I wondered.

"Tamaki's number one," he told me, "I'm number two."

"And I'm number three," I laid my head on Kyoya's shoulder.

"That you are," Kyoya cradled me, "Could we have a moment, please?"

"Sure," Haruhi herded the others away from us.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

"Come here," Kyoya took my hand and led me to one of the changing rooms.

"Again," I started to sweat, "Making me a little nervous, Kyoya."

"Not my intentions," he pulled me down to the floor, cradling me against his chset, "You know, Lana, this letter is only the beginning for us."

"What do you mean?" I reveled in his embrace.

"We'll be in New York in the fall," Kyoya put it into perspective, "Our future together is looking awfully bright. It'll be just the two of us and I can't wait."

"Me either," I cuddled into him, "Are you sure you'll be ok with leaving Japan?"

"I'll be with you," he kissed my forehead, "I'm sure we'll be fine."

Oh, yeah. We'll be fine, "You and me in New York."

"Our own penthouse," Kyoya painted one hell of a picture, "Park Avenue? Every day a complete mystery. The city life."

"Color me sold," I let out a dreamy sigh, "Walks in Central Park, Broadway, Rhiannon being right there."

"Soon, sweetheart," he promised, "Two days after graduation, we can leave for New York."

"Two days?" I gave him a look, "Why?"

"You missed out on the one we had for Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai," Kyoya grinned, "But there's no party quite like a host club graduation party. We'll want a day to recover if our past is any indication."

"What's going to happen to the host club?" I asked, "Once you and Tamaki are gone, there goes the president and the vice president."

"We have that taken care of," he pushed my hair out of my face, "Haruhi is pegged to be president. Tamaki's been showing her what to do. From there, she'll pick the new members."

"It won't be the same," I thought, "I don't think I could come in here if it's not you and Tamaki and Honey and Mori and the twins and Haruhi. It's just not right."

"The host club will still have a purpose," Kyoya pulled me onto my feet, "And it worked for you. Who's to say it won't work for someone else?"

"Look at you," I poked at my boyfriend's chest, "Your heart is always in the right place, Kyoya Ootori. Let no one ever tell you different."

"I won't," he swore, "Now, if it's all the same to you, for the next couple of months, I still have a host club to run. Are you sticking around?"

"Of course," I stole a quick kiss, "As if I have anywhere else to be."

"You're more than welcome to live a life outside the host club," Kyoya assured, "You don't always have to be around here."

"I know," I smiled, "But all my friends are here, with the exception of Ritsu, but he's got other things going on, too. Why would I want to be anywhere else?"

"You've skipped the host club before," he pointed out.

"Yeah," I remembered, "To go to the aquarium and level out. I don't need to do that."

"Good," Kyoya threw his arm around me, "In that case, I have a slight proposal for you."

"Oh?" he piqued my interest, "And what's that?"

"Would you care to be an honorary host for the day?" he offered, "Not having to take any clients, mind you."

"Me?" I wondered, "I thought you told Tamaki a long time ago that me becoming a host was out of the question."

"I said that forcing you to be a host was out of the question," Kyoya corrected me, "I didn't say it'd never be offered."

"Such a shame you're majoring in fine arts," I teased, "Because you'd make a hell of a lawyer."

"So?" he bit his lip, making me swoon a little bit, "Are you going to take a spot in the host club today?"

"You know what?" I thought for a second, "Why not? What do you want me to be?"

"There's a costume hanging in one of the dressing rooms for you," Kyoya smirked, "I thought you'd say yes."

"So, you had it made for me anyway," I rolled my eyes, walking into the dressing room, "Kyoya, have I told you lately that you're occasionally a bit much?"

"I leave that for Tamaki," he brushed me off, "No one ever expects it from me, but in all seriousness, I can be worse than him."

"Clearly," I saw a muted mermaid costume hanging on the hook. Damn. Not bad, "I swear to God…"

"It's nice to know you're religious, Lana," Kyoya teased.

"It's not that," I was ready to backhand him, "Do you always see me as your mermaid?"

"Of course," he stuck his hand through the curtain, holding onto mine, "You're my Ariel, Lana."

"And you my Eric," I had my moments where Kyoya's being too extra is a bit much for me to handle, but then…Then he does something like this. And once the fall hits, I'm going to be living with him. It's going to be like this every single day. And I don't have a problem with that at all. I tied my top on, threw on the long, chiffon cardigan that went with it (I still had scars no one needed to see. I covered mine in makeup the night of the party, but today, I skipped it), and slid my tail up my legs, "Well? Good enough?"

"More than good enough," Kyoya pulled me in for one last kiss, "Go on. There's a small pool out there for you to lay in. Is that alright with you?"

"Definitely," I could use the water anyway. It's hotter than hell in here. Understandable, though. If it's going to be a tropical paradise in here, it might as well feel like it, too. I made myself comfortable in the shallow pool of water and idly splashed my tail.

I saw how Kyoya saw me as his Ariel. Despite my anxiety, I wanted to be with the people, too. I wanted to feel sun on my skin. I wanted to know what life was like above water for a change. And the ones I knew on land understood me better than I understood myself. I'd love to see what the shore above had to offer. I don't know when and I don't know how, but I know something's starting right now. Just him and me…Then I could be part of his world…

"Lana?" Haruhi looked me over, "You ok?"

"Yeah," I let out a heavy sigh, "Just got wrapped up in a weird headspace. Why?"

"We're about to open the doors," she told, "Are you ready for your first excursion as a host?"

"I'm good," I promised, "Tell Hikaru and Kaoru to grab the doors."

"Alright." Haruhi was really good about that, too. That whole looking out for me. She wasn't as overbearing as Tamaki or the twins, but she was on the same level as Kyoya.

As the host club filled with its usual clients, I just watched the ripples in the water. Not a care in the world. That's when it hit me. I was actually a host for a minute. I'm hosting as we speak. I never thought I'd see the day. But none of the others saw me as a host. For the moment, I was merely the mermaid sitting in the lagoon by herself. A part of their world…

"Hey, Lana," Tamaki sat on one of my rocks.

"Hi, Tamaki," I smiled, "What can I do for you?"

"You have clients."

"I have what?" I gave him a look, "No. I don't get clients."

"Some of our guests have requested to sit with you," Tamaki explained, "It's entirely up to you whether or not you accept them."

I did a quick checklist of how stable I was right now. Let's see. I'm not twitching at the thought of socialization. I'm not checking for exits. I've taken my medication today. We're good to go, "Ok. They can come sit with me."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Alright, ladies," Tamaki ushered them over to me, "This is Lana. I'm sure you've heard all about her. She's a rather exceptional commoner, much like Haruhi, but not quite the same as our naturalist."

"What type of host is she, Tamaki?" one of the girls asked.

"Well," he thought it over, shooting a wink at me, "If I had to give her a type…Kyoya?"

"What?" Kyoya called from his desk in the corner.

"If you had to give Lana a host type," Tamaki asked, "What would it be?"

"She's not a host, Tamaki," Kyoya put his foot down, "We've been over this."

"Speaking hypothetically."

"A game of hypotheticals, huh?" Kyoya thought it over for a minute or two, "If you're thinking about giving Lana a character type, I'm not the one to talk to about it. Find Renge."

"Come on, Kyoya," I chimed in, "If you have to give me a type, what would I be?"

"Honestly…" I knew if I said something, he'd play along, "She's the gentle type. Shy, quiet, but once we got her to open up to us, she's caring, nurturing. She's more of the mother of the host club than I am. If our guests are looking for a crying shoulder, there's no one that can solve emotional problems better than Lana."

While the others were swooning off to the side, I did all I could to keep myself from crying happy tears. I couldn't cry now. I had clients, "Kyoya…?"

"Yes, Lana?"

"Aishiteru…" I blushed.

Kyoya got up from his desk, only to press a soft kiss on my forehead, "I love you, too. Now, I have a little work to do. Will you be alright without me for a while?"

"I think so," I let him go.

And so, my afternoon pressed on with a steady stream of clients coming through. All with questions ranging from my relationship with Kyoya to more about me to compliments on my costume and how pretty it made me. Maybe I've finally made it. Maybe I was finally a part of the world my prince lived in every day. Was this what it felt like to walk in the sun for a change?

When I went home after the host club closed for the day, I was riding out the most beautiful high. Showered in nothing but compliments and love and adoration. Was this what the host club got every single day? I could see why they did it. But I knew better. It wasn't just for the ego inflation. They really were doing the world a great service.

Even though I probably drank my weight in tea in the music room, I put a kettle on anyway. As I clicked the stove on, a familiar pair of arms wrapped themselves around me, "I'm so proud of you today, Lana."

"For what?" I asked, falling to the couch with my boyfriend to catch me.

"For actually hosting today," he kissed my cheek, "And keeping as level headed as you did. That took a lot for you."

"In all seriousness," I shrugged, "It didn't feel that difficult. It was…dare I say…kind of fun."

"You should host more often then," Kyoya suggested, "As much as I'd love to stick around here, I heed to be heading home. Are you ok? Do you need anything before I go?"

"I could do with a kiss," I bit my lip.

"That's a given," he pulled me into the deepest, most sincere kiss, shaking me to my toes, "I love you. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Sure will." I hated to see that boy go. But I knew he'd come back. He always did.

Now was time for me to sit back, kick my feet up, maybe run a bath. That sounded like a good idea. I was already in a nice, mellow headspace. Why not? I deserved it, dammit. I hosted today! I think I earned a little bit of me time. My kettle whistled and I poured myself a cup of chamomile into a standard white cup. Nothing fancy. I didn't want to bring any of my good china into the bathtub with me. Without another thought, I slipped into the warm water.

Ring, ring.

Damn, Kyoya. Miss me already? Huh…Not Kyoya, "Hey, Rhi."

"Hey, Lana," Rhiannon's usual husky voice sounded even more gravely, "How you doing, sweetie?"

"Not bad at all," I reported, "What about you? Are you ok?"

I knew how detrimental those three little words can be when someone's upset. Nothing set me off more than someone asking if I was ok, but it had to be done, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm fine. I'm also lying profusely."

"What's up?" I went from confused to concerned real quick.

"Where are you right now?" Rhiannon asked.

"I'm laying in my bathtub."

"And you've taken your meds today?"

"All of them."

"Good," she let out a heavy sigh, "You know how I always come through for you when you need someone to talk you down from a panic attack?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "Why?"

"I kind of need you to do the same for me," Rhiannon's voice broke, "I'm freaking out here and you're probably the best person I could talk to right now."

"Rhiannon," I shook a little, "What's going on?"

"You're not the only one that doesn't do well with doctors, kid…"

 **A/N: And we leave it there. Why? Because I'm a jerk. Fear not, my loves. For another chapter waits just around the corner tomorrow! Where we will answer such questions as: Where is Lana's NYU letter? Is she going to become a full time host? And what the hell is going on with Rhiannon? All these questions and many more will be answered tomorrow! Pinky promise. But I'm also super sorry this is up so late. I've been out all day and there's a possibility of it being another late one tomorrow, too. Regardless, I'll see you next chapter! xx**


	26. Pluses and Minuses

**A/N: Hi, guys. Welcome to day two. Now, before we get started, I'm going to try and power through this, because I'm physically drained and spacy as hell, so if today isn't as good as I'd hoped, I'm sorry in advance. And another thing…If yesterday was any indication, today's not going to be a very pretty chapter. It's going to get pretty heavy. Like…We're going to need a hug afterward. Or you'll have pitchforks and torches outside my inbox. I'll be waiting at the bottom.**

Rhiannon was always so strong. I don't think I ever saw her crumble and in all seriousness, I never thought I would. Between the two of us, I was the screwed up one, she was the strong one. When I had come out of the hospital once, I had a little panic attack that evolved into me crying hysterically for no particular reason. Mom and Dad had no idea how to make me stop. Their stellar idea of telling me to stop seemed so foolproof. Telling someone that was just in a major car accident to walk it off would have the same effect.

Luckily, Rhiannon was home. I bawled my eyes out in solitude until she came in to take care of me. I was falling apart and Rhiannon put me back together. I remember her telling me, in that moment, that she could be strong enough for the both of us. Ever since that day, I always knew I could lean on Rhiannon no matter what.

"Rhiannon," I sat up in my bathtub, "What are you doing at a doctor's office? Are you ok?"

"I don't know," she freaked, "I'd kill a man for a joint right now, but I probably shouldn't. I need something, anything to mellow me out. I don't think the nurse has any Xanax."

"Alright, look," I tried to calm her down, "I'm not going to be able to help you until I know what's going on. And in order for you to tell me, I need to get you settled down first. Tell me what you did last night."

"Last night?"

"Last night." If I can distract her well enough, it'll get her to relax, "Every little detail."

"Last night," Rhiannon told me, "I went out. I got some Chinese and ice cream."

"What did you order?" I asked.

"Chow mein," she ran me through her usual order, "Sweet and sour pork. Half a dozen egg rolls."

"And the ice cream?" Rhiannon was a simple creature. She liked food.

"Strawberry swirl with hot fudge."

"That sounds fantastic," I groaned. Ice cream is always a good idea.

"It was," I think I was getting somewhere with her.

"What did you do when you got home?" I pressed on.

"I put dinner on my coffee table," Rhiannon described, "Maka jumped up, looking for a piece of pork. I licked off all the sauce and gave it to him. Then, he laid his head on my belly. And this situation happened then, too."

"What had you so jumpy?"

"How long have you been back in Japan, Lana?" she asked, starting to get nervous again.

"Probably three months," I thought, "Why?"

"Because," Rhiannon confessed, "This is going to be a little TMI, but I don't think I've had a period since I got back from London."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I knew that wasn't exactly a good thing, but I wasn't sure why.

"Lana," her voice broke, "I think I..."

"Rhi?" I worried. Always did when she'd stop midsentence like that, "What is it?"

"I have to go, hon," she brushed me off, "I'll call you later."

Click.

That's not troubling. Rhiannon doesn't hang up on me. She asks if I'm good and if I say yes, then she'll hang up. This wasn't right. There's something she's not telling me. And I needed green tea. The chamomile wasn't doing it anymore. I'm sure everything's fine. Rhi was sleeping around and caught something. She'll get a round of antibiotics and be back to normal in a couple weeks.

Until then, I'll sit at my kitchen table with my tea and go through my mail. It's not like I ever really got much. The occasional mailer from the supermarket and maybe something from my parents, saying they're alive. But tonight would prove to be different. Because I had one of those big envelopes like the one Kyoya had in the music room today.

In this envelope was the entire fate of my future. This was going to have the bright lights of our life together in my home country that would feel just as foreign to me as it will him. In here was our penthouse and our favorite coffee shops and our spot in Central Park we'll always go to. And it all hung in the balance. All I needed to do was open the envelope.

This was it. I ran my finger under the seal. My hands couldn't be still for longer than a couple seconds and my heart was about to come out of my chest. This felt panic attack-y, but in the best way. This was excited anxious, not nervous anxious. And the nerves only piled on as I inched the paper out of the envelope. Here it is...

Dear Miss Smith,

We have recieved your application for the upcoming fall semester. However, we regret to inform...you...

Declined...? I...I didn't get in? I'm not going to NYU? That's it? No NYU? No New York living? No going to school with Kyoya? Our entire future...smashed to pieces with just a few words? No way. They must have the wrong Miss Smith. Maybe I should call. I'm sure there was some mistake. Their enrollment offics are open right now.

"Thank you for calling NYU admissions," a woman's voice chimed on the other end, "This is Pam. How may I help you?"

"My name is Lana Smith," I told, "I'm calling to check on an application I sent in."

"What do you need to know?" Pam asked.

"If it was accepted or not."

"You should've gotten a letter in the mail, dear."

"I know," I shook a little, "I'm just checking to see if it's accurate."

"Let's see..." Pam kept me waiting, "I'm sorry, sweetie. You're not in my database. Your application was declined."

I hung up and dropped my phone to the floor. Rejected. If that's not the story of my damn life. The letter was legit. My future is nonexistant. I'm going to end up stuck in Iowa until I die alone and my cats are going to eat my body before anyone can find it. No New York. No NYU. No Kyoya. Fantastic. This was exactly what I needed today. Somehow, though, I knew they were going to say no.

I knew I wasn't good enough for NYU. If I'm not good enough for them, I'm sure no one else would even consider taking me. I got nothing. I am nothing. I'm merely the little inconvenience. I'd call Kyoya, but he doesn't need to deal with my problems. He doesn't need to know I got shot down by NYU. This would crush him. Because it wasn't just my future they threw out like yesterday's trash, but his, too.

Kyoya was lucky, though. He actually got in. He could still go on without me and have that bright, shining future we talked about. In fact, I hope he does. He can reject me, too. I don't understand why he puts up with me anymore. All I do is whine about my problems to him. I stopped being his girlfriend a long time ago and just became his burden. Everyone's burden. I'd call Rhiannon, but she's got her problems to deal with and she doesn't need mine on top of them.

Ring, ring.

"Hello?" I didn't even hesitate.

"Hey, Lana," Rhiannon got through to me, "Are you sitting down?"

"I'm laying in bed," I told her, "What's going on?"

"I'm nine weeks," her voice broke, "According to the doctor."

"Nine weeks?" I gasped, "You're…?"

"Elliot's," Rhiannon wept, "Yeah. How the hell am I going to tell my casual lay in a completely different country that I'm pregnant? This wasn't supposed to happen."

"I don't know." I still couldn't wrap my head around it.

"And what's he going to say?" she continued to freak, "I made damn sure to take my birth control every single day while I was in London and ESPECIALLY on days where I knew Elliot and I were going to be having sex. Where did we screw up?"

"I don't know!" I squeaked, "I don't know how you're going to tell Elliot, but you know you're going to have to."

"I need a cocktail," Rhiannon groaned, "But I can't have anything for the next SIX MONTHS. Stupid Rhiannon. Stupid, stupid."

"You're not stupid," I settled her, trying to settle myself, "You had sex. You got pregnant. You couldn't control that."

"I know you're trying to help, Lana," Rhiannon thanked, "But I think I need to call Elliot."

"Keep me posted?"

"I will."

Click.

My sister's pregnant. By one of my best friends. The older brother I never had. She's freaked and there's nothing I can do about it. This day keeps getting better, doesn't it? Let's recap, Lana. Everything that could go wrong today had gone wrong. Kyoya gets his acceptance only for me to get my rejection. My biggest rock has fallen apart. And Elliot's got a little bit of an Irish temper from his mom's side. God only knows how he's going to react. He's also one of the most caring and protective human beings I've ever met in my life.

Maybe I should just go to bed. That way, I'll be out of the way and nobody will realize I'm here. I won't be anyone's burden and everyone can go on living their lives. So, I'm a little out of sorts. I've gotten through these by myself before. I might as well do it again. Or maybe I should let it consume me until it knocks me out from the sheer exhaustion. Probably that last one…

I should call Kyoya first. There's no way Rhiannon's already told him about her pregnancy. That still had yet to register to me. He could probably sort my head out for me. I picked my phone up off the floor and checked the clock. 11:42…He's probably awake. I scrolled through my contacts until I got to the emergency list.

Ring…

Ring…

"Hel…"

Click.

I threw my phone into the chair in my bedroom and hoped to God I turned it off. I can't constantly rely on him. Besides, it'll be easier on both of us if our relationship just fizzles out. Until we're both blurry memories in the backs of our minds. I can't believe I thought I deserved someone like him in the first place…Just go to sleep, Lana. Go to sleep and…Well, the chances of it being better in the morning were slim, but at least when I'm asleep, I can be numb for a little while.

 **A/N: I'm sorry. I kind of want to give both Lana and Rhiannon a hug. My babies are currently in shambles and they need some love. Tomorrow, though. I promise tomorrow will be a nicer chapter. Pinky promise. Also…I need to speak to one of you directly…One of you that can guess where I'm going with things…You know who you are…We don't leave spoilers in the comments. You have a theory, you message me.**

 **But now, we have Lana with her life in shambles and major events going on that she has no control over. We're going to see how that's going to manage to manifest itself tomorrow. Tomorrow's chapter…It's going to be interesting. Now, if it's all the same to you, I'm going to go turn cartoons on and crash. I'll see you next chapter. xx**


	27. Lana in Wonderland

**A/N: Hello, all! Welcome to day three! Good news. I'm good, I'm heavily under the influence of caffeine and cello music (Yes. I listen to instrumentals while I write. Let me live. It's good for focus. A suggestion? I've been getting into GnuS Cello on YouTube. He's absolutely incredible and his covers are haunting. And I'm rambling here.). I'm ready to do this? Are you ready? First off…**

 **Jayla, I didn't mean to come out and spank you in a public forum like that, but I underestimate all of you for being so damn smart and my writing being a tad predictable. But all that aside, I'm SO excited for today's chapter! You know why?**

 **BECAUSE! I get to get into one of my favorite anime tropes ever right next to the obvious protagonist having an unnatural hair color (Given that mine is currently purple and for those of you asking for my Instagram, it's in my bio, I'd say I'm the obvious protagonist.). We've see it in Ouran High School Host Club before. We've see it done BEAUTIFULLY in Black Butler (which, in all honesty, *whispers* I liked the Black Butler version better than the Ouran version.) and I'm going to do it here! Because why not? Originally, I was going to go with something different, but I like this one better. Enjoy!**

 **(Also, I have a little something, something to run by you guys at the end. Nothing bad. Just a quick question/announcement thingy that could potentially turn into something bigger. For those of you familiar with the concept of the Compound, you already kind of know what I'm talking about.)**

Ow...My head hurts...I need some aspirin. I felt over to my nightstand...only to find it gone. What the hell...? Where was I? Relax, Lana. Think it through. Retrace your steps before you go spiraling. I tried calling Kyoya. I hung up. I went to bed. If that was the case, where was my bed? And my nightstand? And my apartment?

In this empty room, I noticed a little bunny. Not just any little bunny, though. He wore a jacket. Almost like a blazer. Like an Ouran blazer, but not the same color blue. This was darker. And I'm sure bunnies don't walk on their back legs. This was definitely not an ordinary bunny. Ordinary bunnies don't carry stuffed bunnies with them either.

"Honey?" I called out to him.

The bunny's ear twitched. He turned around to look at me and his face lit up. Yep. That's definitely Honey. I'd know that little sweetheart anywhere. But he didn't say anything. He simply smiled at me. And motioned for me to follow him. If Honey was here, where was Mori? It was a rarity those two were separated. Bad things happened when they were separated.

"Honey," I asked, "Where's Mori? Are you lost?"

Honey still kept his mouth shut. Weird. It's not like him to be quiet either. He opened a door and led me out into the thickest part of the woods. Nothing may be making any sense right now, but I had to admit. This part was kind of peaceful. In the distance, I could've sworn I heard a music box. Appropriate.

"I don't understand," I got down to his level near a big, mossy oak tree, "Why did you bring me here?"

"Down you go, Lana-chan!" Honey dropkicked me in the middle of my back, sending me down into a deep, deep hole. It felt like it was going to go on forever. What the hell was all this? In this hole, I saw broken clocks and playing cards and flowers and ships and all I wanted was some aspirin. Was that too much to ask? When I finally got to some solid ground, I did a quick glance around the room. This looked like the music room. Good. Familiarity.

"You have to stay here, Usa-chan," Honey said, "You know what to do when Lana-chan wakes up, right?"

"Of course, I do!" Wait a minute...Since when does Usa-chan talk?

"Oh-no," Honey awed, "I'm late! I'm late!"

In almost a full second, he disappeared into another hole. I can hardly get a word out of him before he kicks me into a hole and now, he poofs off to God knows where? I just needed something to make sense for a change. Something about this was completely insane, but I feel like I've seen this somewhere before. Did Yuuichi up my medication and not tell me? Because I'm pretty sure he has to tell me that kind of thing.

"Lana-chan!" Usa-chan squeaked, "You're awake! Come here! Come here!"

I can't believe I was taking orders from a stuffed bunny. I can't believe it was actually talking to me. I know the host club has some killer special effects, but this was too much, even for them. Nevertheless, I followed Usa-chan (a statement I never thought I'd ever say in my life) into one of the dressing rooms in the music room.

Where did Usa-chan go? I looked around the room and found a tiny pink speck on the floor, pulling at my sock. Was…I got down on the floor. Was that…Usa-chan? When did he get so small? Again, I'm questioning how Honey's stuffed bunny that has become sentient somehow shrank to the size of a bug. Jesus, Lana. Your doctors would be having a field day right now.

Usa-chan pointed up to a silver tea cart with Welsh cakes on it. Yummy! These looked delightful. The only difference between these Welsh cakes and the ones I got from Elliot were the way they were frosted. In white icing, one of them said eat me. I've already taken orders from a plushie. I might as well take them from my food, too. I'm this far gone. Why not? Let's throw caution to the wind.

These were really good, too. I finished my cake and my hands gripped the sides of the tea cart. I don't know what was in them, but all of a sudden, my headache intensified and my stomach turned. If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was about to throw up. Instead, I was swallowed by an obscene amount of fabric. And a door popped up in front of me.

Is it me or did it just drop twenty degrees in here? I looked down at my feet and noticed something very wrong just happened...Why was I naked? There was no way I was going out like this! All this fabric was too heavy for me to drag around. There's just no way in hell I'd be able to go any further. Hold on. Did I shrink, too?

Usa-chan went through the little door, motioning for me to come with him. I couldn't do that! Not like this anyway, "Usa-chan...?"

Usa-chan's ear twitched like Honey's did and he looked toward me, keeping the same motion.

"No, no," I shook my head, "Not yet. Do you know where I can get some clothes that'll fit me?"

He nodded once, handing me a package with a note tied to it.

"Thank you," I opened the note.

 _You'll thank us later._

 _And you might as well look the part._

 _With love._

Those two never could keep their mitts out of anything. I ripped the paper back and found a light blue and white dress with some black shoes and knee high white socks inside along with my usual white cardigan. Really? That's how we're going to play this out? Alright. At least I know we're going with a classic. I got dressed and followed Usa-chan into yet another heavily wooded area. Where was this weird, little bunny taking me?

"Usa-chan!" Honey squealed, "There you are! We're still going to be late for tea! Come on!"

Honey didn't even pay me any attention. I had so many questions and something tells me he'd be able to answer them. It's not like I've seen anyone else here I knew. We continued down our stone pathway deeper and deeper into the woods. Hopefully, Honey was taking me to someone with answers. Someone to make things make sense.

"Who are you...?" a giant caterpillar asked from a cloud of smoke.

"Excuse me?" I coughed, trying to dispel the fog out of my face.

"Who are you?" he repeated himself. I knew this voice. And it wasn't like him to say things twice.

"Come on, Kyoya," I smiled, "You know who I am."

"I know that I know who you are," Kyoya...this caterpillar, comfortably perched on a giant mushroom...assured me, "That's not the question I'm asking. Who are you?"

"It's me," I played along, "It's Lana."

"Are you sure, Alice?" he asked.

"We're really getting that into character?" I rolled my eyes, "Alright then. I'm not Alice. I'm Lana. You don't even know your own girlfriend when she's right in front of you?"

"I know who you are," Kyoya went on, "I see I'm going to have to spell this out for you. But do you know who you are?"

"Of course, I do!" I squeaked, "Quit screwing with me!"

"I'm not the one screwing with you," he promised, "As you so eloquently put it. Have you seen your swimming pool yet?"

"What swimming...?" All of a sudden, we were somewhere else. And I fell into a giant pool. Why did everything have to be so big?

"You were saying, Alice?" It didn't matter what kind of weird ass world I fell into. Kyoya's smirk was still Kyoya's smirk. I could tell that anywhere.

"Lana," I corrected him, drowning in this pool. By sheer willpower, I pulled myself to the edge, coughing up salt water, "Thanks a lot, baby. I appreciate the rescue. I've never heard of swimming pools being filled with salt water."

"You think this salt water?" he gave me a look, blowing another cloud of smoke in my face, "No. This pool is the accumulation of the tears you've shed in life."

"This pool should be bigger then," I shrugged.

"You've had your fair share of crying, haven't you?" Kyoya asked, "These are only the tears I've ever seen you shed. If we were to see what you've never shown me, it'd be much, much bigger, wouldn't you say?"

"Could you throw me a towel or something?" I climbed out, sitting on the edge of my pool of tears, idly splashing my feet in the water, "I'd like to dry off."

"I'm sure you would," he assumed, "But it appears you still have yet to answer my question."

"What question?"

"If you answer it," Kyoya bargained, "I'll give you a towel. That's how this works. A give and take."

"What question?" I repeated, starting to get a little pissed with him.

"Who are you?" he wondered.

"Kyoya," I groaned, "You know who I am. I'm Lana. I'm not Alice. I'm Lana."

"Tea?"

"What?" I gave him a look, "What's tea have to do with any of this?"

"I'm sure you're rather cold coming from your tears," he kicked me a towel off his tail, "You still have yet to answer my question, though."

"I did answer your question," I put my foot down, "You asked me who I am. I told you who I am."

"You merely told me your name. That's not exactly telling me much. It's strange, Alice. Even in this situation, you still only keep me at arm's length."

"What do you mean, arm's length?" I scoffed, "I've always told you everything."

"You hung up on me, sweetheart," he pointed out, "You know you should've called me when you found out about the duchess."

"The duchess?" I still had no clue what the hell he was going on about or what all this was about. This seemed completely impossible.

"Speak of the devil," Kyoya looked over to another door, "Your majesty."

"Hello, nurse," my sister's familiar voice called to him, "I see you're taking care of my baby."

"You haven't had your baby yet," he reminded her, "You still have six months."

"My other baby," she kissed the top of my head, "You know, Alice, you should get some tea."

"There it is again!" I squealed, "What is it with you two and tea?"

"You're always game for tea, sweetie," Rhiannon…the duchess…accurate. She always does carry herself with a regal bounce in her step, "Trust me. We're the two people that know you the best."

"You think so?" I wondered, "Better than I do?"

"Clearly," Kyoya chimed in, "You couldn't even tell me who you were, yet I know exactly who you are."

"Alright," I caved, "Tea. I need tea."

"Just through there," he guided me.

Cautiously, I walked through the door Rhiannon just came through and landed myself back in the woods. Lucky for me, Honey waited impatiently for me. I've seen this kid jacked on sugar a million times over, but this didn't even hold a candle. I've been in the hospital with a kid that had severe ADHD and he wasn't even this bad. Honey couldn't even stand still. I guess all that cake was catching up to him.

"ComeonLana-chan!" his words ran together, "We'regoingtobelatefortea! We'realreadylate! Let's! Go!"

And just like that, he sprinted away from me. Honey was impossible to keep up with, but somehow, I ran after him into a clearing. In this clearing sat what looked to be a comfortable little cottage and a long dining table in front of it. Just go with it, Lana. You're in this deep. Don't question it. Don't apply logic to anything. Might as well keep going.

"Well, well," a man in a big hat sat with his back toward me. That voice…I knew that voice, too, "It's about time you showed up, Honey-senpai."

"I'm sorry, Tama-chan," Honey settled down a little more, "I hope it's ok if I brought someone!"

"My, my," the hatter…Tamaki…turned around, "And who do we have here?"

"Really?" I rolled my eyes, "You know me, too, Tamaki."

"Tamaki?" he chuckled, "How is it you know my name, dear?"

"Because I know you!" I'm one hundred percent done with everyone here in this crazy, possibly even mad world. If one person asks me who I am that already knows me, I'm going to start swinging, "And you know me!"

"I know that I know you," Tamaki grinned, "But do you know you?"

"YES!" I groaned, throwing myself into one of the empty chairs.

"No room!" he shot me down, "We're expecting a guest. There is no room for you."

"Who would you be expecting?" I wondered, "It's pretty deserted out here. You're shut out in the middle of the woods.

"Probably us," a pair of voices sat down at the table, appearing out of thin air.

"Hika-chan! Kao-chan!" Honey got all excited again, "You're late, too!"

"I'd say they're right on time," Tamaki figured, "And you, Alice, are not who we're waiting on."

"Wait a minute!" I stopped him, "You knew I was Alice!"

"We're not waiting for Alice."

"Who we're waiting for is none of your business," the pair of cats harmonized. This is ridiculous. Even for the host club, whatever the hell was going on here was over the top.

"Senpai…" a meek, little voice groaned from the house, "Do I really have to wear this?"

"Yes," Tamaki had a dirty smirk on his face. Not quite Kyoya's caliber, but pretty damn close.

"Fine," she pouted, coming out in a bunny girl costume, "This is insane."

"You know how the saying goes, Haruhi," he led her down the stairs while the blood poured out of his nose, "We're all mad here, aren't we?"

"How do you figure?" I sat down anyway, "Out of everyone here, I'm the only one here that's actually mad."

"I wouldn't say you're mad," Tamaki checked his pocket watch. It had some sort of dragon on the outside of it. It kind of looked like a lion wrapped up in a hexagon. And if I didn't know any better, I'd think there was a date on the inside of it, "However, I wouldn't say you're necessarily happy either."

"You know what I mean," I sighed out.

"He's right, though, Alice," Haruhi agreed with him.

"Would you all quit calling me Alice?" I demanded, "That's not who I am."

"Then who are you?" they all asked me at once.

"I…" I thought on it for a minute, "I don't even know anymore. I've had people tell me who I am since I got here. You're Alice. You're Alice. You're Alice. I'm sick of it! I'm not Alice! I'm just Lana!"

"And our final guest has arrived," Kyoya inched his way toward the table, "Have you figured it out yet?"

"Figured out what?"

"Who you are," a cloud of smoke rolled off his lips, "You know who I am. You know who the hatter is, the duchess, the Cheshire cats, the dormouse, the March hare, the white rabbit. By the way, Haruhi, you make an excellent white rabbit."

"I wonder whose idea that was," she grumbled with great disdain.

"Mine, obviously," Tamaki was more than happy to take pride in that.

"Surprise, surprise."

"You know who all of us are, Lana," Kyoya continued, "But you don't know who you are. You say you're just Lana."

"Yes!" I nodded, "I'm just Lana!"

"No, you're not," he corrected me.

"No, you're not," the twins agreed.

"No, you're not," Mori came out of his half-asleep state only to turn around and go back to sleep.

"No, you're not," Honey chimed.

"No, you're not," Haruhi joined in.

"No, you're not," Tamaki took off his hat and put it on the white rabbit, making her blush.

"You just don't see it," Kyoya clarified, "You are so much more than just Lana, Alice. You really should know better by now. Come sit on my mushroom with me. Haruhi, bring her some tea."

"What kind?" Haruhi asked.

"Jasmine," Kyoya ordered, "She's a little scrambled right now and needs something to help clear her head. That's what the jasmine green tea does."

"That's right," I sat with him on his mushroom. Another sentence I never thought I'd formulate today, "With a little honey."

"Here," Haruhi already had it in her hands and gave it to me.

"Thank you," I looked the cup over carefully. White and mint with some gold edging around the rim. Just like my teapot.

"Now, Alice," Kyoya asked me once more, "Who are you?"

"I'm not Alice," I took a long drink, feeling my tea rush to my toes.

"That's not what I asked."

"I know," I went on, "I'm more than just Lana. I'm more than my problems. I'm more than I give myself credit for. I'm sure that's the moral of this story, isn't it?"

"You finally got it right, Lana," Kyoya kissed the top of my head, "Now, I need you to do me a favor."

"What's that?" I rested my head on his body.

"I need for you to wake up," he insisted, "That's all I'm asking of you. Just wake up for me."

Beep…

Beep…

Beep…

Slowly, I opened my eyes. Just a dream. Had to be. My god, Yuuichi. I'm starting to think you did readjust my doses. What the hell kind of medication would give me that kind of weird ass acid trip? Even more important…Where am I?

 **A/N: That's right, kids. I had to. You know I did. With the way Lana's screwed up little melon is, you can't tell me she wouldn't have an Alice in Wonderland style dream. I love this chapter. I love this chapter so much. I love the way everything turned out and I have a permanent smile on my face right now. This is just fantastic…I can't gush enough. I was going to go with a more Cinderella route, but I like the way this one worked better.**

 **Now! That thing I wanted to ask you about. Now that I think about it, there's two things. I forgot to ask the babes at the Black Butler fic about it, but question number one: Do I have any nerds here that are well versed in the Mystic Messenger lore? And on the topic of games, if I were to make a Minecraft server, would anyone want to come play? Because I've been making the compound and it's turning out pretty amazingly.**

 **For those of you that don't know what the compound is, I had this idea. How neat would it be if we had a place out in the wild where we could meet face to face? Not only meet face to face, but hang out, live, play, do whatever. A compound where we could all be buddies and it'd be like Comic Con every single day. We'd all understand each other. We'd all spazz together. If you want more information on the compound, I have a Tumblr post about it. Just search the compound. It'll be the first post there. I've done more than just break ground on it. I've started building the residential district and it's going to be a sprawling metropolis. Just give me a yell if you're looking to book a room.**

 **All that aside, I love you. You're a wonderful human being. And I'll see you next chapter! xx**

 **(Also, if you understood the whole reference with Tamaki's watch, you're the coolest person ever and I love you.)**


	28. First Day of Vacation

**A/N: Hi, guys! One more day to get through until we're on hiatus until August. But I'm sure you guys will be ok with that, right? If you paced yourself with these updates, I'm sure you'll have plenty to get you by. Right then. We ready? Shall we begin? Do you have a juice box nearby? If not a juice box, at least something to drink? A snack? If not, go get those things and come back here. And when you're all done here, we can talk. Sound good? Okie dokie then!**

Beep...

I knew those beeps.

Beep...

I've heard them before.

Beep...Beep, beep, beepbeepbeepbeep.

That was a heart rate monitor. I was in the hospital? What the hell was I doing here? And what was attached to me? Why am I covered in electrodes? What did I do to get in here? Or am I still dreaming? Did my Alice in Wonderland dream carry over into a hellish nightmare? Why am I in the hospital?

"Lana?" Kyoya came into my room, immediately sitting by me, taking my hand, "Lana, it's ok. You're alright. You're ok."

"Kyoya," I hyperventilated, "Where the hell am I and why am I here? And where did your hookah go?"

"I don't have a hookah," he settled me, "You're in the hospital. You hit your head in what we're assuming was a bad panic attack in your sleep. You're ok."

"What happened?" I shook in his arms, waiting for the knot in my stomach to untie itself.

"You didn't come to school today," he twisted his fingers in my hair, "So, when I got to your apartment afterwards, I found you in bed with a bruise on your forehead and unconscious. The chances of you getting your deposit back are slim."

"And your first thought," I glared a hole through him, "was to bring your hospital loathing girlfriend to a hospital? Especially when you know she's going to wake up here and freak?"

"Lana," Kyoya cradled me, "This isn't just a hospital. And when the girl I love hits her head on her bedroom wall hard enough to leave a hole in the wall, I know she'll need medical attention. When I know she loathes the idea of the average hospital, but I still want her to be taken care of by the best doctors, I'm bringing her here to one owned by my family and ran by brother. Trust me, sweetheart. You're in very capable hands."

"One more question," I started to come down, "Why in the hell am I covered in electrodes? These seem a little unnecessary."

"They're monitoring your brain activity," he kissed my forehead, "That way, if you had another panic attack in your sleep, it could be taken care of before you hurt yourself again. But we don't need to worry about that anymore. You're awake now."

I needed a minute to process everything. Let's start at the beginning. I went to bed. Knocked my head against the wall enough to really knock myself out. I probably ended up with a concussion. I had my weird ass Alice in Wonderland dream. Then, I wake up in one of Kyoya's family's hospitals. Ok. Seems legit. Not saying I liked it, but it is what it is at this point, I guess.

"Kyoya," I cuddled into him, "I want to go home."

"As much as I'd love to bring you home," Kyoya held me a little tighter, "I can't do that. Your doctor wants to keep you for another few days."

"A few days?" I whined, "Come on, Yuuichi. I don't want to be in the hospital for a few days. I don't even want to be here another few minutes."

"I know, koibito," he understood, "But like I said, this isn't like other hospitals you've been in. Put it this way. Do you remember when we were in the library and I told you I stayed in the hospital for six weeks?"

"Yeah."

"This was that hospital," Kyoya ran his fingers absentmindedly up and down my arm, "In fact, if I remember correctly, my room was a couple rooms down from this one. Well...When I first got here anyway."

"You got moved?" I wondered, "Why? If you don't mind me asking."

"You will, too," he promised, "Since you're this awake and alert, I'm sure you won't be in here much longer. Maybe a couple of hours. This is a hospital meant for those with a thing about traditional hospitals like you, like me. Your therapy is always individual and you're more so cured for exhaustion than anything else. Your problems take a lot out of you."

"You're preaching to the choir, sister."

"In a couple hours," Kyoya went on, "Once Yuuichi signs off on it, you'll be moved to a room that looks more like a hotel room than a hospital. They're actually quite comfortable."

"Good," I curled into Kyoya's ribs, "Because I don't think I could do another stint in the hospital, Kyoya. I really don't."

"You'll be fine," he swore, "But now that you're all settled and before I call in for Yuuichi, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead," I let out a heavy sigh, "Where else do I have to go?"

"What did you call me about the other night?"

I must be off a few days. Last I remember, it was Thursday night and I was on the phone with Rhiannon. Then, all of a sudden, I remembered exactly why I called him, "Because I was falling apart."

"What's the matter, Lana?" Kyoya worried, "What had you falling apart?"

"A lot was happening at once," my voice broke, "I had to get Rhiannon to calm down before her doctor's appointment and I couldn't be strong for the both of us."

"Is she ok?" he asked. I think Kyoya worried just as much about my sister as he did me. Those two had become buddies.

"I think so," I thought it over, "It's probably more shock than anything."

"What's going on?"

"She's three months pregnant," I told him, "It had her freaked, so I had to be the one to take care of her. She was nowhere ready to tell Elliot yet. I guess I caught her secondhand anxiety. But I had something that made matters even worse."

"I saw the envelope on your kitchen table," he confessed, "Forgive me. I got curious."

"So, you know?" I cringed, "You know what kind of failure your girlfriend is?"

"You're not a failure, Lana," Kyoya assured me, "It's alright."

"Kyoya," I felt the tears well up in my eyes, "Our entire future hinged on us going to NYU together."

"You don't think I had the same thought?" Kyoya gave me a quick kiss, "There are different schools. We can still have our future together. That doesn't have to change."

"Even though we won't be going to school together?" I worried, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"Yes," he promised, "I'm not going anywhere without you, Lana. You know that. So, we won't be going to the same school. It's fine."

"I wasn't good enough," I started shaking again.

"Lana," Kyoya shut me up, "I just got you to settle down. So, you weren't good enough for them. That's their problem, not yours. If they couldn't see how wonderful you are, that's their loss. They're the ones missing out, not you."

"You think so...?"

"Yes," he gave me one more kiss, "You don't need to worry. And if all else fails, you can always get in like every other spoiled, over entitled rich kid gets into college."

"I'm not a spoiled, over entitled rich kid," I reminded him, "That's you, baby. Not me. And you're not buying my way in for me. It's like when I was looking to get back into Ouran all over again. And Yuuichi isn't either. I know what happens when you two are left alone together."

"I thought I heard my name," my doctor joined us, "Good morning, Lana."

"Hi, Yuuichi," I rubbed my eyes out of reflex, "Is it morning, though? Really?"

"It's about ten o'clock on Saturday morning," Yuuichi filled me in, opening my curtains, letting the god-awful sun shine in.

"No, no," I squinted, "That hurts. Too bright. Shut the curtains. Shut the curtains."

"Ok," Yuuichi pulled them back, "Other than the obvious headache from the sunlight, how are you feeling?"

"Tired," I laid my head on Kyoya's chest, "Like I want to go home, but I can't do that, can I?"

"Not without making me a little nervous," he sat with me, "Just a few days, Lana. Please?"

I know he worried about me. I know his brother worried about me. Maybe it's time I actually let these boys that know what they're doing take care of me. Going by what Kyoya was saying, this wasn't a traditional hospital. I was starting to get that vibe, too. I wonder what he meant by that. What made this place different from any other institution I've stayed in? I guess I'll find out, "Fine. A couple days max, Yuuichi! I'm not spending my entire vacation in the hospital."

"When are you supposed to leave for Karuizawa, Kyoya?" Yuuichi asked.

"Tuesday," Kyoya checked his phone, "Misuzu's looking forward to seeing us, Lana."

"Of course he is," I smiled a little. I loved Misuzu as much as I did Ranka. They were cut from the same cloth. How could I not? Sure, they were both a little overbearing, but I couldn't complain.

"That works perfectly," Yuuichi decided, peeling some of these godforsaken monitors off me, "Can I keep you for the rest of the weekend, Lana? I'm sure that's all you'll need here anyway."

"Yeah," I wasn't going to like it. I knew that right off the bat. No matter how someone looks at it, a hospital's still a hospital. It doesn't matter what kind of fancy words these two try to wrap it in.

"Good," he kissed my forehead, "In that case, why don't you get a little more sleep and I'll be back to check on you in a while, ok?"

"Yuuichi," Kyoya stopped him, "When can we have her moved?"

"She'll be in her room once she wakes up again," Yuuichi promised, "You'll be able to manage until then, won't you, Lana?"

"I guess," I let out a tiny yawn, "Kyoya, you're staying with me, right?"

"Of course," he wrapped himself around me, "I'm not going anywhere."

"You know when visiting hours are, Kyoya," Yuuichi reminded him.

"Our name is on this place," he scoffed, "I'm sure I can work around them."

"Unless you want me to sign you in here, too," Yuuichi suggested, "It might be our name on this facility, but you forget who runs it."

Kyoya's eyes turned red as they glared at his brother, "Gesu yaro…"

"I love you, too, onii-chan," Yuuichi shot him a quick wink, "Lana, get some sleep."

"Ok," I curled into his brother's lap while he left the two of us alone.

"Some days," Kyoya sighed out, "I hate him."

"But," I put things into perspective, "At the end of the day, you know you love him. It's the same thing with Rhiannon and me. Some days, I want to club her. Others, I wish she was right here with me. Consider yourself lucky that yours isn't an ocean away in a different country."

"I'm sure she'd want to know you're in the hospital," Kyoya thought it over, "You think she's ok enough for us to call her?"

"Yeah," I assumed, "She's had a few days to mellow out. And I'm sure she's awake. Where's my phone?"

"No need for that," he scrolled through his contacts, "I got her number."

"It's not whether or not you have her number," I explained, looking around for my own phone, "If she gets a call from you, I'm sure she's going to think there's something wrong with me. We don't need her spiraling again. I've never seen Rhi like that and I refuse to be the one to put her back in that situation."

"Alright," Kyoya understood, getting my phone out of my cardigan pocket, "Here."

"Thank you," I scrolled through my contacts for my sister's number. God, I hope you're up, Rhi. I don't want to wake you up. You probably could use all the sleep you can get these days, too. Not to mention, I don't want to be added stress you don't need, "No. We don't have to call her."

"Lana," he put his foot down, "You're not a burden to her. You're her sister. She worries about you. Give her a little peace of mind."

"Fine," I forced myself to hit the call button next to Rhiannon's name. Please don't be sleeping. Please don't be sleeping. Please don't be sleeping.

"Hey, sweetie," my sister's voice chimed softly on the other end.

"Hi," I bit my lip, "I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"No," she assured, "I'm still awake. What's up?"

"Don't worry about me right now," I brushed her off, "What about you? You doing better than the last time I talked to you?"

"Oh yeah," Rhiannon said, "I bit the bullet and called Elliot after I got off with you. Told him about the baby."

"What did he say?" I cringed, bracing myself for her answer.

"Hold on..."

"Hiya, love," a familiar English accent chirped in my ear.

"Elliot?" I wondered, "What the hell? What are you doing there?"

"Elliot?" Kyoya had the same thought I did.

"I got a call from Rhiannon early Friday morning," he ran me through the timeline, "I was on a plane an hour or so later, and I've been in New York ever since."

"You need to get you a man like him," Rhiannon took her phone back, "I thought he'd be pissed about this whole situation, but I guess I overreacted. I'm starting to sound like you."

"Shut up," I giggled. Damn, I miss my sister, "I don't have a man quite like Elliot, but I think I'll still take mine over yours."

"Thank you," Kyoya kissed my cheek.

"I understand," Rhiannon let it go, "I wouldn't get rid of Kyoya either. He takes damn good care of you, too, Lana. Now, what's going on with you now that you're all caught up with me?"

"Well," I knew she was going to ask, "I need you to promise not to freak."

"I promise," she swore, "Lana, what's going on?"

"I'm," I bit my lip, "I'm in the hospital…"

"What happened?" Rhiannon tried to keep herself together.

"Kyoya can explain it better than me," I put her on speaker, "Kyoya, tell her what happened."

"Hi, Rhiannon," Kyoya greeted her.

"Skip the pleasantries, sweetie," Rhiannon brushed him off, "We have more important things here. What happened to Lana?"

"She had a bad panic attack in her sleep," he explained, "It made her hit her head into her wall pretty hard and she knocked herself out. My brother's keeping an eye on her for the next few days."

"Do I need to come over?" she wondered.

"No," Kyoya settled her, "She's fine. It's just to be on the safe side. She should be alright."

"Good," Rhiannon relaxed a little, "But Kyoya, she's lucky her head's attached. Please watch her."

"I can still hear you!" I squeaked.

"I know." And now, I think Kyoya got why I told him I wanted to club my sister on a regular basis.

"I have to go, Rhi," I rolled my eyes, "If my doctor comes in and I'm not sleeping, I got a feeling he'll be pissed."

"Send Yuuichi my love."

"He's married, Rhiannon," I reminded her, "Dibs."

"Oi!" Elliot chimed in the back, "Bun in the oven and you're still sniffing 'round that?"

"I'm not going anywhere," she settled him, "A little late for that."

"Love you, too." I hope those crazy kids work out. I really do. In all seriousness, I couldn't handpick anyone better for Rhiannon. It's nice when the fates align so nicely for me.

"I love you, Lana," Rhiannon said, "Go to sleep."

"I love you, too."

Click.

"You really should go to sleep," Kyoya took my phone from me, "You could use it."

"What about you?" I worried, "When was the last time you got any sleep?"

"Thursday night," he thought it over, "Don't worry about me."

"Kyoya," I groaned, "You know I'm going to worry about you, too."

"I couldn't sleep," Kyoya shrugged, "My girlfriend was in ruins and I had to make arrangements for you to be here."

"Still no excuse," I scolded.

"I'll tell you what," he bargained, "If you go to sleep right now, I'll nap with you. Until you get your room switched."

"Deal," I cuddled into him, "Promise me?"

"I promise," Kyoya kissed the top of my head, "I love you, Lana."

"I love you, too," I turned into a puddle, melting away to sweet, sweet slumber.

Then, it hit me. Maybe instead of fighting, I need to stop fighting. Not saying I'm giving up. I need to stop fighting the wrong things. Fighting sleep, fighting the people that want to help me. I don't have to fight these things on my own. I did have a lot of people that cared enough to lose sleep over me. An entire mad tea party's worth. I'm sure if I asked Yuuichi real nice, he'd score a cup of tea for me. That's all I really needed to realign myself. But for now, I needed to sleep.

When I woke up, I felt Kyoya still wrapped around me. But another hand was on my shoulder, "Lana..."

"What?" I groaned softly.

"You need to wake up," Yuuichi insisted, "I know you probably don't want to, but we need to talk."

"Ok," I hardly spoke above a whisper, "But could we keep it down? Kyoya's been awake since Friday morning. He needs the sleep more than I do."

"I thought he was a bit off," he figured, "A little more bitter than usual. Especially when he called me about you. Then again, it was also about you. I'm not surprised. A bit insulted a few times, but he's very protective of you."

"So I've heard," I cradled him in my arms.

"And I've already woken him up," Yuuichi cringed, "That wasn't a pretty sight."

"Why did you wake him?" I asked.

"You're not in receiving anymore," he pointed out, "You were moved and didn't even know it. You were still asleep."

"Oh," I looked around the room, "I didn't even..."

"You were sleeping, Lana," Yuuichi put me more at ease, "We weren't going to wake you. Kyoya, yes. He's my brother. I have every right to screw with him. But he wouldn't dare let me put a hand on you unless he saw it necessary."

GrrrrrrRRRrrRRRRrrrrRrrRrR...

"Sorry," I blushed, "It's been a while."

"Hungry?"

"A little," I nodded.

"Stay here and look after him," Yuuichi ordered, "I'll go get you something to eat. Any preference?"

"Anything that doesn't have raspberries," I requested, "Aside from that, anything is fine. And Yuuichi...?"

"Yeah?" he stuck his head back in my room.

"If it's not too much to ask for," I begged, "Could you bring me a cup of tea, too?"

"Sure," Yuuichi smiled, "Good to have you back, Lana…You had me worried for a minute."

 **A/N: I love Yuuichi. I really do. He gives me such warm and fuzzy feelings in my heart. Now, some things that may have gone overlooked in this chapter. The things to take away.**

 **1.) Lana's in the hospital, yes. That's true. It's owned by the Ootori group, ran by Yuuichi. It's his baby and his brainchild and we'll touch a little bit in that tomorrow.**

 **2.) ELLIOT KNOWS ABOUT RHIANNON! AND HE JUMPED A FLIGHT TO THE STATES! EEEE!**

 **3.) And it's naptime. We'll do a little bit with Lana's hospital time tomorrow. And now, I'm going to go over here and do a thing. Actually, I have other work to do. See you next chapter! xx**


	29. Not Your Average Hospital

**A/N: Hi, guys. I'm feeling kind of lazy today, so if today's update is out kind of late, I'm sorry. I woke up out of sorts and in actual physical pain, feeling like dirt. I'll be fine, though. I can write through it like I do every other time. Just please don't yell at me in the reviews for I am smol and soft and fragile. I'm going to shut up now and let you enjoy this last day of Ouran bomb week. Here's to hoping it goes out with a bang…*badumtss* I'm sorry…I'll go home.**

When Kyoya said this wasn't a standard hospital, he wasn't joking. In my first morning in my new room, I expected to wake up at six o'clock like every other trip to the hospital I've ever had. But this morning, it was nearly ten. Weird. And I thought I'd be immediately pawned off on Yuuichi. Instead, one of the nurses came into my room.

"Good morning, Miss Smith," she smiled sweetly, "How are you feeling?"

"Um..." I blinked the sleep out of my eyes, "Fine. Not awake enough to make a proper assessment. I'm sorry. Who are you?"

"My name is Megumi," she introduced herself, "Aside from Dr. Ootori, I'll be the one taking care of you. Everything from appointments to scheduling your visitors is all on me."

"What kind of appointments are we talking about?" I wondered.

"Anything we have to offer," Megumi looked down at her notebook, "And I have you down for one in half an hour. Let me know when you're ready, ok?"

"Ok," I didn't have the energy to put up any sort of fight.

"There are clothes in your closet," she pointed out, "The towels are under the bathroom sink. There's an assortment of soaps in the shower. If you need anything, let me know."

"Thank you," I got out of bed and went into the bathroom. It reminded me of Kyoya's, only on a smaller scale. I missed staying with him. Speaking of Kyoya, where did he run off to? Maybe my new babysitter knew, "Hey, Megumi?"

"Yes, Miss Smith?" she stuck her head in the bathroom.

"Just Lana," I insisted, "Please." So you know where Kyoya is?"

"The littlest Ootori," Megumi awed, "He left last night after you fell asleep. He sends his love. He would've stayed later, but Dr. Ootori threatened him with checking him in here, too, so he left. He'll be back this afternoon."

"Do you happen to know when?" I asked.

"Around..." Megumi thumbed through her notebook, "One o'clock. Along with a Tamaki Suoh."

"Ok." So, Kyoya's bringing Tamaki with him? I just hope to God that he doesn't freak. Like Kyoya said, Tamaki doesn't handle delicate matters with much subtlety. And given that he cares for me like I was his own only makes things worse.

I turned the shower on and opened the closet. Not much for options. Everything looked awfully comfortable, though. Not a single speck of color, but honestly, I didn't mind. I let the hot water take over, setting my mind and muscles at ease. I hated hospitals more than anything, but a girl could get used to this. All I was missing was a cup of shower tea and I'd be set.

"Megumi," I finished getting dressed, "Can I ask you one more question?"

"Ask me all the questions you want, Lana" she allowed, "What's on your mind?"

"What is this appointment for?" I asked, "Does Yuuichi want me already?"

"No," Megumi clarified, "Dr. Ootori doesn't have you until noon. Then, once your session is over, your one o'clock visit should be here."

I had a feeling she was going to hover. Nevertheless, I'd have to put up with her for the rest of the time I was here, "So if I'm not going to Yuuichi, where am I going?"

"You'll see." Something about Megumi reminded me of Rhiannon. I wasn't sure what, but there was something. And not just Rhiannon, but a little bit of Hikaru and Kaoru's mischief was there, too. I wonder if Yuuichi picked her specifically for me because of that. He's met Rhiannon. He knows what she's like.

I was really starting to like it here. This felt less like a hospital and more like a really upscale rehab facility. But I wasn't hooked on anything. A mild tea addiction and maybe caffeine to a certain extent, but none of the hard stuff. Once when I was in a hospital back in the US, I met this chick that was coming off acid. Amazing artist, if I remember correctly. Painted with anything she could get her hands on. I'd wake up every morning to find my tea missing. When I'd go to her room a few doors down from mine, I saw where my tea was going. And I didn't mind at all.

I had a very quick realization once Megumi brought me to my first appointment for the day. A bright white chair had my name on it. Not that I was complaining. I was merely curious as to what the hell was going on. Until I saw six different kinds of skin products on the table next to it. Now, I knew why I was getting Rhiannon vibes. She and I have gone to do this many, many times.

"Sit," Megumi demanded, "You don't have a problem with someone touching your face, do you?"

"No," I shook my head, "Why?"

"Someone will be here in a second," she promised, "I have some other things to take care of."

Yep. I knew what this was. I haven't gotten a facial since I was with Rhiannon last summer. And I fought her tooth and nail about that. You have perfect, porcelain skin, Lana. You need to take care of it, Lana. I don't want to go by myself, Lana. You'll thank me later, Lana. I had her voice in my head. When I finally caved, I cringed the whole way through, but in the end, I kind of liked it.

I completely zoned out through the whole thing. On the plus side, though, whatever mask she was using smelled like peaches! And this was only the beginning. In my entire life, I had never been so well taken care of. The closest I ever got was Yuzuha's fashion show in London. This reminds me of something the twins would whisk me away for one rainy afternoon when they're bored.

Once every inch of my body had some sort of sparkle on it and my glow could be seen from space, I went back to my room for a little well-earned solitude. Don't get me wrong. I was slowly, but surely getting used to Megumi being everywhere, but there were times I needed to be by myself. I practically had to hide from her.

"Lana?" Finally. Someone that got me, "Can I come in?"

"It's not like I'm naked, Yuuichi," I allowed, "You can come in anytime."

"If it's possible," he teased, "You look exhausted and well-rested at the same time."

"Careful," I poked back, "That's the foundation of my entire personality in a nutshell."

"I'm glad to see you're feeling better," Yuuichi smiled, "Megumi hasn't been too much for you to handle, has she?"

"She's exhausting," I giggled a little, "But nothing I've never dealt with before. Was that on purpose, by any chance?"

"I might have had a hand in that," he admitted, "A lot of our nurses tend to be really bubbly, but Megumi is one of the bubbliest. Her moods are rather infectious. You could stand to have some of that."

"Thanks," I rolled my eyes, "I've had to hide from her."

"Why would you do that?" Yuuichi asked, "That defeats the purpose."

"Because I like being by myself," I explained, "Solitude isn't always such a bad thing."

"All that aside," he brought me back, "How have you been?"

"This was sorely needed," I confessed, "I probably overworked myself into that panic attack the other night. I'm actually weirdly level headed right now. I could stand a nap, but other than that, I'm good."

"Good enough for Kyoya to come back?"

"Always," I blushed a bit, "He's supposed to be coming back soon, isn't he?"

"Yes," Yuuichi nodded.

"Rumor has it," I fished, "He's bringing Tamaki along with him."

"I can confirm that," he said, "Is that alright?"

"Honestly," I thought it over, "I'm kind of surprised Kyoya's not coming by himself. Definitely wouldn't have thought Tamaki would've been his first choice."

"Why not?"

"Because," I went on, "There are only two people that know how screwed up I am in the entire host club outside of Kyoya. Mori and Haruhi. Mori was an accident and Haruhi breached my inner sanctum."

"How did Mori find out?" Yuuichi asked.

"My cardigan went up," I remembered, "He caught a glimpse of my scars before I had my tattoo. I really should have Rhi do the other side next time I see her."

"Can I see your tattoo?" he hoped, "Purely to settle my own curiosity, not to see your scars."

"Sure," I pulled my sleeve up, revealing the beautiful sakura blossoms on my arm.

"Looks like something my brother would do."

"Your brother did do it," I smiled, remembering that day like it was yesterday, "He designed it. Rhiannon did the rest. I was in New York with her for the summer last year and I was without him for a week or two. I got really depressed to the point of emotional flatness, so when I asked Dr. Moreno if I could get a tattoo, she said it was fine if I was without incident. Rhiannon and Kyoya have a nasty little habit of plotting behind my back, but it's never a bad thing."

"Because they understand you," Yuuichi figured, running his fingers over the branches that hid an even nastier little habit of mine, "Rhiannon's always been your support system, hasn't she?"

"Yeah."

"She's your support," he elaborated, "She's never been through it herself, but she cared enough about you to educate herself."

"Yeah."

"But she can't take care of you like Kyoya does," Yuuichi continued, "Because she's never been through it. He has. The two people in this entire world that probably get you the best outside of a medical professional."

"That's right," I confirmed, "And I wouldn't trade either one of them for the world."

"As much as you're probably going to want to punch me for asking this," he wondered, "What would you do if Kyoya were to break up with you tomorrow?"

"What?" my heart stopped, "What do you mean? Has Kyoya been telling you things that he hasn't told me? Are things not good with us and I'm just now finding out?"

"Relax, Lana," Yuuichi settled me, "A simple hypothetical that, in hindsight, should've gone left unsaid. Everything's fine with you two. Trust me. Kyoya's told me things that I'm sure he hasn't told you yet, but nothing bad. Little things he notices about you. The little glints you get in your eyes from time to time. The things he draws on you. When you talk and giggle in your sleep."

"I giggle in my sleep?" I gave him a look.

"I got recordings to prove it," he pointed out, "If you ever want to hear them."

"I'd rather not," I shot him down, "So, he doesn't plan on breaking up with me any time soon?"

"God, I hope not," Yuuichi chirped, "I haven't met many of Kyoya's girlfriends he's had in the past, but Lana, you're my favorite."

"Because I'm so good for him," I bit my lip, "I know. You told me in London."

"We had tea that day," his face lit up a little more, "You're not thinking about breaking up with him, are you?"

"HELL NO!" I screeched, "I'm insulted you even thought I would!"

"All of this is hypothetical," Yuuichi took my hand, "I know better. You two have a little codependency that works for you. Now that I have you all angry with me, can I tell you some good news?"

"Please do," I demanded.

"How would you feel about getting out of here early?" he offered, "Like…Tomorrow morning? That way, you can sleep in your own bed before you and Kyoya leave for Karuizawa."

"Wait a minute," I snapped back, "You're letting me go?"

"Not until tomorrow," Yuuichi clarified, "But yes. You were just severely drained and needed a pre-vacation."

"Awesome," I grinned, "Can. Not. Wait."

"Should I be expecting a post card?" he teased, "Wish you were here. Love, Lana?"

"Shut up," I giggled, "I swear, Yuuichi. You can be just as bad as Kyoya."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Yuuichi accepted.

"It is," I assured, "A very big compliment."

"Lana?" Speak of the devil, "Can I come in or am I early?"

"You can come in," I allowed, "You both can."

"Lana!" Tamaki practically tackled me.

"Kyoya," I shot him a subliminal message.

"Tamaki," Kyoya pulled out the spray bottle, "Down."

"When did you get the bottle back?" Tamaki tried to use me as a shield.

"I talked to Haruhi this morning," Kyoya kept spraying him while snaking his arm around me, "I told her where we were going to be, so she offered it to me."

"Um…" I curled into my boyfriend's ribcage, "Hi, Kyoya."

"Hello, sweetheart," he gave me a more proper greeting.

"And do try to keep it down, Tamaki," Yuuichi scolded, "There are people on both sides either in their sessions or trying to sleep."

"Sorry," Tamaki apologized, "I got a little excited, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," I still gave him a hug. I couldn't leave Tamaki like that, "But I really am glad you're here, too, Tamaki. Even happier you didn't use special voice."

"Special voice?" he wondered while both Kyoya and I cringed. Kyoya knew. He knew what special voice was.

"Talking to me differently because of where I am," I elaborated, "It just comes off really condescending and it'd make me want to drive my fist down your throat and pull your stomach out through your mouth."

"Interesting picture you painted, Lana," Yuuichi worried, "Maybe we should keep you for another day."

"No," I begged, "I'm good. I promise. Metaphorically speaking. Not like I'd actually do it. But every time I'd come out of the hospital when I was still living in the States, my parents used special voice with me and it's like nails down a chalkboard."

"You're welcome," Tamaki cradled me against his chest, "Daddy doesn't want to upset his little girl any more than she's already been."

"Tamaki," Yuuichi asked, "Have you ever been referred to a specialist?"

"No. Why?"

"Astounding…"

The slightly off-color joke was enough to get a cheap laugh out of Kyoya. I couldn't let that be. Although, Kyoya's laugh was music to my ears more often than not, I could stand to be cheeky, too, "It's weird you say that, Tamaki. Because I don't just have Daddy here, but Mommy, too."

Instantly, Kyoya turned bright red, "Lana…"

"Yes, baby?" I laid my head on my boyfriend's shoulder.

"You're so lucky I love you…"

"Yes, I am," I kissed his cheek, "Yuuichi, did you tell Kyoya the good news before you told me?"

"No, I didn't," Yuuichi promised, "I thought I'd let you tell him."

"What good news?" Kyoya wondered.

"What do you have planned for tomorrow?" I asked him.

"Coming back here at one to see you," he thought it over, "Other than that, I have an open schedule."

"Unfortunately," Tamaki added, "I'll be on a flight to France with Haruhi, so you'll have to do this by yourself, Kyoya."

"That's fine," I let that go, "I'm sure we can find something to do, right, Kyoya?"

"You're getting an early release?" Kyoya hugged me tight, "Good. There are some shady characters around here and I'm sure you don't want to jump into Karuizawa quite yet, do you?"

"No," I shook my head, "A day to decompress between things like this would be a capital idea."

"Good," he cradled my face in his hand, "And while we're in Karuizawa, we won't be interrupted, will we?"

Kyoya's glare cut a hole through not only his brother, but his best friend as well. I think Tamaki turned to stone, so Yuuichi would have to speak on his behalf, "I don't think so. Unless Lana's problems resurface."

"They won't," I swore, "But Yuuichi, I need to ask you something."

"What's that?"

"Did you up my dosage?" I wondered, "Because I had some very colorful dreams when I was unconscious."

"No," he shook his head, "Do you think I need to?"

"No," I settled him, "I don't need it. I'm fine."

"I should probably leave you three alone then," Yuuichi made his bows and left me alone with Mommy and Daddy.

"I'm so glad you're leaving in the morning," Kyoya nuzzled his face in my neck.

"You know," I suggested, "If they're releasing me to you tomorrow morning, we have an entire day to kill."

"Yes," he pulled me down on my bed, "What about it?"

"With no possibilities of the host club barging in…"

"Hey!" Tamaki whined, "I'm still here!"

"And what a good third wheel you've been," I jabbed, "You're going to be on your way to France to see your mom with your girlfriend tomorrow. Hikaru and Kaoru are gone. Honey and Mori are gone. Kyoya and I aren't leaving Japan. So, what are we going to do tomorrow?"

"I don't know," he cradled me, "What should we do?"

"We'll figure something out."

"Maybe Haruhi and I should consider staying one more day," Tamaki poked at his mushrooms, "And the four of us could do something."

"You don't have to do that for us, Tamaki," I brushed him off, "You should go see your mom."

"Mom's not going anywhere," he took my hand, "You're just getting out of the hospital, Lana. We do worry about you. Just to give us a little peace of mind."

I exchanged a quick glance with Kyoya. It was Tamaki. There's no fighting him. Once he commits to an idea, it's going to happen whether those around him approve of it or not, "Alright, Tamaki. What did you have in mind?"

"We'll talk tomorrow!" Tamaki squeaked, jumping to his feet and sprinting down the hall.

"You do know that's your best friend, right?" I giggled.

"Somehow," Kyoya let out a heavy, exasperated sigh, "Maybe he drugged me."

Kyoya could pretend to be all bitter about Tamaki all he wanted. Deep down, he did love him. Not quite like the rumors around school implied, but in a different way. I didn't know exactly what tomorrow held for me, but I knew this much. I'd have Mommy and Daddy and my younger sister there by my side.

 **A/N: And there we have it, kids. Next chapter is going to be in a few weeks, but I think we'll be alright. We'll be able to make it, right? I have faith in you guys. Now, I'm going to go work on the compound and get a well-deserved break. But before I go, I'm going to end it by saying this. I love all of you very, very much and I'm going to miss you. If you need anything, let me know and we can talk. Until then, I'll see you next chapter! xx**

 **And by the way…Happy birthday, Jayla. Don't think I forgot about you. :)**


	30. Pure Magic

**A/N: Hi, guys! Welcome home. Kick your feet up, make some tea, put on some jazz. I don't know why jazz, but why not jazz? I listen to instrumentals when I write. You can listen to jazz while you read. Expand your horizons. Culture yourselves. Now that I'm done rambling like a loon, really and truly, welcome back! I mean, it's only been a couple weeks, but still. I missed you! Would you like a quick recap? Yeah, you want a recap. If you don't, then go ahead and skip ahead, but for those of you with a short attention span and shit reading comprehension skills like yours truly (Yes, I see the irony.), you're going to get a recap.**

 **When we last saw each other, Lana's in the hospital after a bad panic attack had her slamming her head into her bedroom wall and knocked her ass out. Yuuichi's making sure she's well taken care of. And today, she's finally getting out! Let's read on, shall we?**

The first time I'm actually comfortable in a hospital and I already have to leave. Honestly, this is a record. The longest I've ever been in was three months and the shortest was two weeks. But this time around was only a few days and I was unconscious for some of it. If I ever have another breakdown and I'm not brought here, I'll be highly disappointed.

"Knock, knock," Yuuichi walked in, "Can I come in?"

"Hi, Yuuichi," I smiled, "of course. What's up?"

"Just checking in," he sat at the edge of my bed, "How are you doing?"

"Super," I chimed, "Excited. Soon, Kyoya will be here to claim me and I'll be out of here. I have a week in Karuizawa to pack for."

"Actually, Lana," Yuuichi bit his tongue, "I have some news to tell you..."

"What is it?" my stomach knotted up. I knew that look. I'm staying longer, aren't I?

"Kyoya can't claim you," he told me, "He's a minor."

"Oh..." I guess that should be expected, "So, you could claim me."

"That's not true either," Yuuichi went on, "I'm your doctor. Do you have anyone you call?"

I gave it a thought for a minute or two. As far as my adult connections go here, I hardly had any. Ordinarily, I would've called Rhiannon and she'd be here by now. However, she was all the way in the States. And I couldn't call Honey and Mori. They were all the way in Dubai. I was low on options, but then, like a lightbulb switched on, I had an idea, "Yeah. I got someone."

"Good," he nodded, "I have your checkout time for eleven o'clock."

"Ok," I grabbed my phone, "If you don't mind, I have a call to make."

"Go ahead," Yuuichi allowed, "You'll come say goodbye before you leave, right?"

"Definitely," I promised.

"Wonderful," he stood in the doorway, "I'll see you soon."

Yuuichi left me to make my phone call. I knew he'd be more than happy to come and get me and stand in as my parent or guardian. I just hope to God he picks up. I waited patiently for the voice at the end. Come on, man. You're my only hope here. I just need you to pick up your phone.

"Hello?"

Thank God, "Hey, Ranka. It's Lana."

"Lana!" Ranka sang, "Hi, sweetheart. What's up?"

"I need you to do me a huge favor," I began, "But you can't freak on me, ok?"

"Is everything alright?" he went into overprotective dad mode. For some reason, Ranka always had a soft spot in his heart for me.

"Promise me first."

"Ok," Ranka agreed, "I promise. What's going on?"

"I'm currently in the hospital..." I winced, waiting for the impact.

"Are you ok?" he freaked a little.

"I'm fine now," I settled him, "But I can't have Kyoya check me out because he's a minor. Do you mind being my proxy parental figure?"

"Never," Ranka assured, "I'll be there soon. Which hospital are you at?"

"Call Kyoya," I told him, "He knows. It's one of his family's hospitals."

"I don't know what happened," he worried, "But I'm going to need some context once I get there."

"And I'll tell you whatever you want to know," I promised, "But my checkout time is rapidly approaching."

"On my way."

"Thank you, Ranka."

"No problem!"

I loved him. Ranka was more reliable than my own parents and he hardly knew me. But I'm sure Kyoya kept him informed just enough to satisfy his appetites. But now, I had a little bit of time to kill. I checked my texts to see if anyone else was trying to get a hold of me. Sure enough, I had a little one in a red circle by the envelope. Surprise, surprise.

Good morning, gorgeous.

Sorry I can't be there to wake you up.

Did you sleep ok?

KO

This boy was too much. But he was my too much.

I slept fine. Do you know what Tamaki has planned for today?

LS

Beep!

No idea. Why?

KO

Other than the fact that I wanted to know, so I could mentally prepare myself? Since Ranka was on his way to get me, it'd be a lot easier to meet at Haruhi's. Tamaki never was one for simple and the four of us were going to be hanging out together anyway.

Meet me at Haruhi's.

LS

Beep!

My god, Kyoya was on the ball today.

Alright. Ranka's on his way to get you, by the way.

KO

I know. We talked a little while ago.

LS.

"Lana," Yuuichi came into my room, "Ranka's here."

"Ok," I grabbed my bag off the chair and shoved my phone in my pocket, "Thanks, Yuuichi."

"It's no trouble," he threw his arm around me, "You're practically family. If I wouldn't have taken such good care of you, Kyoya would never forgive me."

"Bless him," I melted a little, "Now, if you'll excuse me..."

"Of course," Yuuichi let me go, "And Lana?"

"What?" I stopped.

"I want to see you after you come back from Karuizawa," he went back to being my doctor, yet with my boyfriend's dirty smirk on his face, "And if I don't get a postcard, I'll be highly disappointed."

"Yep," I rolled my eyes, "You're just as bad as your brother."

"I'm serious, though," Yuuichi chuckled a bit, "That appointment still stands. Got it?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I'll be there."

"Lana!" Ranka hugged me tight, "You had me worried! Don't do that!"

"Ranka..." I started to get a little anxious, "Please let me go."

"Sorry," he dropped me immediately, "Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

And so began the ride back to the Fujioka residence. The long...quiet ride. Until Ranka broke the silence, "So, what happened? If you don't mind me asking."

"I had a bad night," I explained, keeping my trembling hands under my legs, "I ended up hitting my head really hard into my bedroom wall, enough to knock myself out and ended up in the hospital. They kept me for a few days."

"Do they know what triggered it?"

"Well," I thought back, "I think it's because of some news I got about my sister. She's three months pregnant."

"Congratulations," Ranka smiled.

"That's not all," I went on, "I got a rejection letter from the school that Kyoya and I applied to. It got to be really overwhelming getting that kind of news all at once. And that's how I ended up in the hospital for a few days."

"Don't worry so much, Lana," he took my hand, "I know that's probably one of those things that's easier said than done, but it's not impossible. I'm sure there's more than one school in the area you and Kyoya are looking into. And I'm sure your sister's going to be ok. From what Kyoya's told me about her, she's strong and a hell of a force. You don't have to take care of anyone but you for now. You'll be alright."

"Thank you, Ranka," my voice broke. But for the first time in quite a while, these were the mystical and seldom seen happy tears.

"So," Ranka pulled up in front of their building, "What do you kids have planned for today?"

"I have no idea," I got out and the two of us went into their apartment, "Tamaki's picking."

"Tamaki..." Ranka was hardly in the door and he was glaring his daughter's boyfriend down, "You're going to be good to her, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir," Tamaki shook a little.

"You know how I am with Haruhi," Ranka had a smile on his face and a tight grip on Tamaki's shirt, "I can be just as much with Lana."

"Yes, sir." If I didn't know any better, I'd think Tamaki just peed himself a little.

"Hi there," Kyoya's arms snaked around me.

"Hi," I laid my head on his shoulder, surrendering to his kiss on my cheek.

"Are you alright, Lana?" Haruhi worried about me just as much as her father did, "Kyoya-senpai said you were in the hospital, but he never went into detail. And every time Tamaki-senpai tried to say anything, he'd hit him."

"I'm fine," I assured, "I'm all good now. What are we doing today, Tamaki?"

"Well," Tamaki got out of Ranka's grip, "Because you could use a dose of fun and excitement."

"After just getting out of the hospital..."

"I thought," he beamed, "Let's go to Disneyland!"

"Tamaki, are you high?" Kyoya rolled his eyes, "You thought going to Disneyland would be a good idea for her when she's been out of the hospital for maybe twenty minutes?"

"I don't mind it," I smiled, "That actually sounds like fun. Let's do it."

"Are you sure?" Kyoya gave me a look.

"Kyoya, baby," I took his face between my hands, "Don't get me wrong. It's sweet when you look out for me, but I don't need to always be in bubble wrap."

"But I don't want you going back," he hugged me a little tighter, "You were just in the hospital for your anxiety and you want to go somewhere that's full of big crowds?"

"It's more than just crowds," I nuzzled my face in his chest, "I'm sure I'll be fine. And if I'm not, I know you'll be there to take care of it."

"Always."

"Hold on," Haruhi asked, "Are we really going to Disneyland?"

"Yes, we are," Tamaki was halfway out the door already.

"You kids have fun," Ranka sent us out, "Call if you need anything."

"We should be alright," Kyoya assured, "But thank you, Ranka."

And so, the four of us were off to Disneyland for the day. In all seriousness, I'm surprised we haven't gone before. This feels like a way the host club would kill an afternoon. But to no surprise at all, Tamaki turned into a little kid in a candy store. I hoped Haruhi had brought the backpack leash with her. At least the spray bottle.

"Where do we start?" I wondered.

"Splash Mountain!" Tamaki squealed. I wasn't sure if we were here for me or for him. Either way.

"I don't think so," Haruhi vetoed, "I can't do Splash Mountain."

"Me either," I agreed.

"Come on, Lana," Kyoya nudged me, "You could probably handle Splash Mountain."

"No," I shook my head, "I can't handle the drops. You said you didn't want me going into a panic attack while we're here. That would screw me up big time."

"Well then," Tamaki was ready to come out of his skin, "Kyoya, would you do me the honors?"

"It'd be my pleasure," Kyoya agreed, "Are you two going to wait at the bottom then?"

"We'll be in the gift shop," I told him, "I won't go stupid with the credit card. I promise."

"Ok," Kyoya gave me a quick kiss and he followed Tamaki to the line for Splash Mountain while Haruhi and I hit the gift shop.

"Hey, Haruhi," I asked, "Did you know Tamaki was going to say Disneyland for today?"

"It might have been my idea," she confessed, "Inadvertently. We were talking the other night about places we always wanted to go and I said I've never been to Disneyland. Lo and behold, here we are."

"Tamaki never could say no to you," I giggled.

"Oh, god, no," Haruhi laughed, "I'd be lying if I said I was comfortable with it, but if it makes Senpai happy, who am I to stop it?"

"Hey!" I squeaked, catching a glimpse of tableware, "Look at the teapots."

"We can't ever get you away from fine china, can we?" she figured.

"It's a weakness," I picked up a black teapot with gold etching in it. Jack Skellington. What a doll. And such a charmer. I could see how Sally fell for him.

"I'm surprised you didn't pick this one up," Haruhi had one in her hands that was a light shade of teal with light purple accents. This had to be handpainted. Ariel's black sillouhette made for a nice contrast.

"It's coming home with me," I wasn't even putting that up for debate. I'm sure Kyoya wouldn't say no either. Because, much like Tamaki, he couldn't say no to me either, "Good eye, Haruhi. Good eye."

"It's a gift," she smiled as the two of us checked out, "You think the ride's done yet?"

"Probably," I shrugged, "But they do know that it takes pictures, right?"

"Let's go see."

Haruhi and I left the gift shop with our bags in hand and headed back to Splash Mountain. On the wall of monitors, other people's pictures were mixtures of fear and excitement. And sure enough, she and I found our boyfriends on that wall...And they were holding each other. We can handle Splash Mountain, they said. We'll be fine, they said. My ass, I said.

"Those are our boyfriends," Haruhi stared in disbelief.

"Yep," I nodded.

"We're in love with those two..."

"Yep."

"Are we getting the picture?" she asked.

"Hell yes," I grinned, "Can you say blackmail?"

"You scare me, Lana," Haruhi winced, "I can tell that you and Kyoya-senpai have been spending a lot of time together."

"Birds of a feather, I guess," I wasn't going to let that get to me. In fact, I took it as a compliment. Just as I finished paying for their picture, Tamaki and Kyoya came walking out all casual. Look at them, pretending they didn't just share a tender moment that's forever captured on film.

"How was it, guys?" Haruhi asked.

"That was fun," Tamaki played it off.

"Yeah," Kyoya played along, "Good time. Such a shame you two weren't on it with us."

"Are you sure?" I wondered, wrapping myself around my boyfriend's arm, "You and Tamaki weren't scared?"

"Nope," he shook his head, "We were fine. What's in the bag?"

Oh, come on, Kyoya. If you're going to lie to me, you didn't have to pull that kind of deflection move, "I know I need another one like a hole in the head, but I got another teaset."

"Show it to me," Kyoya insisted, his shaking starting to ease.

"Ok," I opened the bag and showed him the picture on the outside of the box, "Haruhi pointed it out to me. I couldn't leave it."

"I'd say it's appropriate," he kissed my cheek.

"What do we ride now?" Tamaki asked.

"This is going to sound so dorky," I blushed, "But I want to ride the teacups. That's something I can handle and it's been my favorite ride at Disneyland since I was eight."

"Not dorky at all," Kyoya took my hand, "If you don't love the teacups, there's something wrong with you."

"And you wonder why I love you," I stood on my toes and stole a quick kiss from the best boyfriend I will ever have.

The four of us paired off; Tamaki with Haruhi and Kyoya with me. If I didn't know any better, I'd think this turned into friendly competition. When we'd go to Disneyland when I was younger, Rhiannon and I would always get a cup to ourselves and she'd spin it as fast as she could without making me throw up. I never expected Kyoya to have that kind of upper arm strength. I've seen him naked, yet I have no idea where that muscle came from. Not that I was complaining. The brief moment of childhood nostalgia was a nice touch.

Ring, ring.

Speak of the devil. Hold on. Rhiannon shouldn't even be awake right now. The concern on my face didn't go unnoticed, "Lana? Is everything ok?"

"Yeah," I answered, "Hello?"

"Hey, Lana," Rhiannon sounded fine. A little lethargic, but other than that, she sounded ok, "What are you up to?"

"What are you doing awake?" I scolded, "It's three o'clock in the morning."

"It's two in the afternoon your time, sweetie."

"Rhiannon Lee." I love how she's the one pregnant, yet I have to be the parent with her.

"I can't sleep," she groaned, "The kid's got me up with heartburn from the depths of Hell."

"Who's that?" Kyoya asked.

"It's Rhi," I filled him in, "Have you taken anything?"

"Elliot's out right now looking for something," Rhiannon sighed out, "I'm just glad I'm not throwing up profusely."

"Hi, Rhiannon!" Tamaki chimed from the back.

"Hi, Tamaki!" Rhiannon sang back, "What's the occasion you're with your host club boys? I thought you were off this week."

"I am off this week," I confirmed, "But I got out of the hospital this morning and Tamaki thought going to Disneyland with his girlfriend, his best friend, and me was a good idea."

"You guys went to Disneyland?" she whined, "I want to go, too!"

"Rhi, you're pregnant," I reminded her, "You probably shouldn't be riding half these rides."

"Doesn't mean I can't still appreciate a trip to Disneyland," Rhiannon pouted.

"Rhiannon's pregnant?!" Tamaki's nose gushed blood.

"If you want," I insisted, "I'll send you something."

"Yay!" she cheered, "I have to go, sweetheart. I think Elliot's back. I'm going to try and get some sleep."

"Good," I smiled, "Send Elliot my love."

"Always do!"

Click.

"Rhiannon's pregnant?!" Tamaki reiterated.

"For the past three months," I took a tissue out of my bag and held it under his nose, "Just found out the other day."

"How is she?" Kyoya worried.

"Up with heartburn," I reported, "Elliot's taking care of her. She'll be alright. And I have to send her a present. Granted, it'll probably be a fleeting thought, but on the off chance Rhiannon's mind is a steel trap…"

"That's fine," he allowed, "I'm sure we'll find something throughout the day."

"Where to next?" Tamaki asked, his nose finally not bleeding anymore.

"This may be the dizziness talking," I suggested, "But my cosplay craving is killing me."

"You know what?" Haruhi followed my train of thought, "We should go be princesses."

"You already are princesses," Tamaki snuggled his girlfriend.

"I'm in," I beamed, "Let's go. You know, guys, while Haruhi and I are getting made into princesses, you should go on Splash Mountain again!"

"Yeah…" Kyoya turned a little nervous.

"Sounds like a good idea," Tamaki agreed with the same, cringing feeling.

"Come on, Haruhi," I took her hand, "Let's go!"

And just like that, the two of us ran off for something I never expected Haruhi to be game for. We both made the decision to pick each other's princess. What's a trip to Disneyland without a little bit of whimsy? And who knows? I'm sure we know each other well enough to know which princess we'd be. For Haruhi, I initially wanted to go with Snow White. That whole, hanging out with seven guys all the time thing. Although, that would've meant another host. But then, an even better idea popped into my head.

Haruhi would've been a definite Belle. Independent, studious, takes no crap from the annoying pretty boy, sees past people's flaws. Haruhi is a Belle. Then again, she could easily be a Cinderella, too. I've seen how those Lobelia girls have been with her. Very wicked stepsister-y. Only for her to land her own Prince Charming, no matter how bad her wicked stepsisters didn't want her to. And the way she keeps that host club afloat is nothing short of amazing. But something about her still struck me as very Belle.

As I waited with great anticipation to find out which princess Haruhi pegged me as, the only thing I could think of was Kyoya's reaction. I already knew he thought of me as a princess. We've been Ariel and Eric for as long as we've been an us. I could almost guarantee that's who Haruhi picked for me. And I'm sure that if Kyoya had his pick, he'd pick Ariel for me, too. A warm, fuzzy flashback to our first trip to the aquarium played in my mind. He found a mermaid in that aquarium…I just hope he finds her again.

When all was said and done, I looked myself over in the full-length mirror. Glittering tail and everything. I did a couple spins, watching my skirt billow underneath me. Perfect. You know me all too well, Haruhi. I knew we were best friends for a reason. As soon as I walked out, Haruhi wasn't too far behind. And damn, she made a killer Belle!

"Wow, Lana…" she gasped, "You look fantastic!"

"So do you," I hugged her, "You make a really good Belle, Haruhi."

"Thanks," Haruhi blushed a bit, "What made you pick Belle?"

"Really?" I giggled, "The little bookworm that has more intestinal fortitude than one person has the right to?"

"Yeah," she shared my sentiment, "I guess you're right. I have always had a soft spot for Belle, too."

"Shall we go dazzle our boyfriends?"

"Let's."

Haruhi and I left to find Tamaki and Kyoya. God only knows what would happen if those two were left unattended for too long. Tamaki may have had his moments where he wasn't exactly the brightest bulb in the bunch, but Kyoya brought out his intelligence. And they fed off each other's energies. Truly a terrifying sight. Not to mention, Kyoya's a secret evil genius and Tamaki's impressionable. Luckily, they were hiding in yet another gift shop. Stranger yet, I found Kyoya looking at baby stuff.

"Hey, baby," I laid my head on his shoulder.

"Haruhi picked Ariel, didn't she?" he guessed.

"Yeah," I felt the heat rising in my cheeks, "And if you listen closely, we'll be able to find Tamaki shortly…"

"Really?"

"CUTE!" a familiar voice squealed out, "SO CUTE! HARUHI, YOU'RE SO ADORABLE!"

"PUT ME DOWN, SENPAI!" Haruhi whined, "I'M DIZZY ENOUGH!"

"Found them," Kyoya smirked.

"Thank you for not being like that," I kissed his cheek, "I don't think my heart could take it."

"You think we should go split them up?" he figured.

"Not quite yet," I looked over his shoulder, "What are you doing over here?"

"Looking at baby stuff," Kyoya shrugged, "You said you wanted to find something for Rhiannon. Or is it too early in her pregnancy to be sending her baby stuff?"

"Honestly?" I scanned the shelf, "I think it's perfect."

As the day began to dwindle down and the sun began to set, the four of us found a spot to watch the fireworks. I couldn't have thought of a better way to end our adventure. Just him and me. Sometimes I forget how sweet Kyoya can be. I sat comfortably in his lap and he held me while the beautiful explosions lit up the sky. Life was good again. Despite starting my day in the hospital, life was good.

 **A/N: I love this chapter. Everything is adorable and everything is good and I'm so weirdly happy. Also, fun fact, do you know what tomorrow is? It'll be my two year anniversary of being on this godforsaken wasteland of a website. So happy early birthday to this beautiful internet baby I birthed two years ago. I'm not going anywhere. See you next chapter! xx**


	31. You, Me, and Who Makes Three?

Disneyland was fun, a little bit of rest would be sorely needed. Especially since I still had to pack for Karuizawa. Or so I thought. Usually, when I wake up after Kyoya's spent the night, there's tea on my table and markers on my skin. I don't expect to find my boyfriend buried in my closet with my overnight in hand.

"Kyoya," I rubbed my eyes, still working on if this was real, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Packing," he crawled back into bed with me, kissing my cheek, "Good morning, Lana."

"Good morning," I curled into him, "Why would you be packing from my closet? You don't have anything in there."

"Other than a uniform blazer," Kyoya pointed out, "But it's one less thing you have to worry about. Do you have any preference on what you want to take with you?"

"No," I shook my head, "I'm not picky."

"Good," he gave me one last quick kiss and went back to my closet.

"You know," I sat in bed, "You really don't have to do this. I'm more than capable of doing it myself."

"I know," Kyoya went on.

"But you're going to do it anyway, aren't you?" I assumed.

"Oh, Lana," he sighed out, "You read me like a book. Or you're a quick learner."

"Either way," I wrapped myself up in my blanket, "Karuizawa."

"That's right, koibito," Kyoya sat with me, "Just you and me."

"A week of doing absolutely nothing" I laid my head on his shoulder, "I can't wait."

"Well," he asked, "Where would you like to stay? The bed and breakfast or the cabin?"

This was quite the pickle. The bed and breakfast was always so cozy and inviting. We've never stayed anywhere else. But the cabin had all that space. And the most spectacular views! But the bed and breakfast had memories in it. So did the cabin. But the bed and breakfast was so damn cute!

"We'll stay at the bed and breakfast," I decided, "I'm sure that if we came all the way to Karuizawa and didn't stay there, Misuzu would kick our asses and rain Hell upon us. There would be nowhere we could hide. He'd find us. You realize that, right?"

"Misuzu is quite a force," Kyoya agreed, "I have no problem with that. But we're still doing dinner at the cabin, right?"

"I hope you already have the lamb," I grinned, "Because it's been months since I've had any and I need it yesterday."

"I'm insulted you had to ask."

"Just checking," I felt my phone buzzing on my thigh.

"Who's that?" Kyoya wondered.

I slid my finger across the screen, "Morning, sunshine."

"Hey, sweetie," Rhiannon chimed on the other end, "I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"Nope," I kicked my feet up on Kyoya's lap, "Just woke up a little while ago."

"Hi, Rhiannon," Kyoya went back to packing.

"Hi, Kyoya," Rhiannon giggled, "How'd he know?"

"You're the only one that calls me," I told her, "Except for Kyoya, but Kyoya's right here, so..."

"Logic it out," she figured, "So! What's the plans for today?"

"Road trip," I got out of bed and to no surprise, found a tea set in the middle of my kitchen table.

"Romantic getaway?" Rhiannon jabbed, "Because Disneyland yesterday wasn't enough?"

"No," I scolded, "Disneyland wasn't Kyoya's idea. It was Tamaki's and once he sets his mind to something, it's happening whether we like it or not."

"You just successfully summed up Tamaki Suoh's personality in a nutshell," Kyoya praised, "That's how he managed to land Haruhi."

"That's no joke," I laughed, "Kyoya and I are going to Karuizawa for the week. Everyone else is out of town, so we thought we'd take advantage of it."

"That's sweet," Rhiannon awed, "The closest I've gotten to that lately was Elliot popping my toes a little while ago."

"Bless him," I got myself a cup of tea, "How've you been feeling lately?"

"Like hell," she chuckled darkly, "But I'm sure I'll get through it. Somehow."

"Oi!" Elliot squeaked in the background, "You make it sound like you're going through it alone. It's not like your boyfriend made an eight-hour flight at the drop of a hat for you."

"Yeah, he did," Rhiannon awed, "I love you, too."

"So," I had to get my revenge for all the crap she gave me when Kyoya and I started dating, "You're putting the boyfriend label on it, are you?"

"Sweetie, he got me pregnant," she pointed out, "I'm pretty sure we're past that now. I see what you're doing, but you and Kyoya and Elliot and me are two completely different situations. And I came first. I'm allowed to do that."

"Damn," I hate when she saw through me AND explained why I was wrong.

"Hey, Lana," Kyoya broke in, "I hate to do this, but we need to get going. And we need to make a stop at my house before we take off."

"Ok," I nodded, "Hey, Rhi..."

"I heard," she cut me off, "Go ahead. We're going to grab dinner anyway. Make sure you kids wrap it up, so our situations stay different."

"We will," I grumbled, "Love you."

"Love you, too!"

Click.

"So?" Kyoya asked, "How is she doing?"

"Taking it like a champ," I threw my phone on the table, "By the sounds of things, Elliot's taking good care of her. And that's all I can ask of him."

"Now," he pulled me onto my feet with my bag on his shoulder, "Shall we?"

"We shall." I've been looking forward to this trip since we first talked about it. I've been back in Japan for three months and I had yet to be back to Karuizawa. Kyoya and I talked about going while it was still winter, but I didn't want to leave the house. I am not a creature intended for cold. Although, there should be some beautiful cherry blossoms waiting for us when we get there.

However, the two of us still had to drop by Kyoya's. Not that I had a problem with that. Going to Kyoya's house filled me with warm, fuzzy memories of good times with my friends and my sister and seeing my best friend's underwear hanging from my boyfriend's chandelier. To this day, I can't see sparkly red panties without thinking of Haruhi. Good times...

"I'll be right back," Kyoya left me in the car, "I shouldn't be gone longer than five minutes."

"What are we doing here?" I asked.

"I have to get my bag, too," he kissed my cheek, "Lucky for you, it's already packed."

"How long have you been planning this trip?"

"Weeks."

Oh, dear. Kyoya Ootori, what am I going to do with you? I could pretend to hate it all I wanted, but I loved my boyfriend being that special level of extra where I could tolerate it. Not quite to Tamaki's level, but just enough. And in a few short hours, it's going to be him and me. No worries. No thinking about the existential dread our futures could hold. No dealing with petty squabbles within the host club. It's going to be nice to have some time to turn off.

Beep!

Neat. A text!

 _Hey, Lana. You busy today?_

 _RK_

Ritsu! I haven't heard from him since I went into the hospital. I sent him a message letting him know I was ok and not to worry about me. By the sounds of things, he's wanting to play with me. But unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen.

 _I'm on my way to Karuizawa for the week._

 _We should be back by Saturday night._

 _Hang out then?_

 _LS_

Hanging out with Ritsu was always an adventure. But a mellow adventure. Like a lazy river. Nothing like hanging out with the host club. When I was with Ritsu, I felt like I was on a normal playing field. Granted, I knew what he was, but that didn't matter. Ritsu was the first friend I had outside of the host club. As much as I love them all dearly, they could be a bit much to handle sometimes.

Beep!

 _Sure. Sounds like a plan._

 _RK_

"Who's that?" Kyoya came back, catching me smiling at my phone screen.

"Ritsu," I knew he was over that whole pissing contest. They came to a mutual understanding about me. Like it or not, another human being cared about my well-being. And over the course of our friendship, Ritsu learned how to take care of me when things weren't exactly the best, so Kyoya didn't always have to worry when it was just the two of us.

"And what did Kasanoda want?" he asked.

"Just checking in," I threw my phone back in my bag, "Can we go now?"

"Yeah," he turned his car back on and the two of us drove into the sunset...despite the fact that it's nearly noon.

Finally, some time away from the fast pace of Tokyo. Sweet, calm serenity. After being in the hospital, I'm sure leaving for Karuizawa right then and there would've been a better idea, but I'm not complaining. Two of my best friends wanted to give me a day of fun and excitement. How could I be mad at that?

"Hey," a familiar tune came out of Kyoya's speakers, "What's this, Kyoya?"

"What's what?" Kyoya tried to play ignorant.

"You know damn well what's what," I smirked.

"She is paranoid, endangered species headed into extinction," the song played, "She is one of a kind. Well, she's the last of the American girls."

"What?" a little smile crept across Kyoya's face, "You can do Broadway soundtracks all you want, but heaven forbid I do?"

"That's fine," I allowed, "But you never struck me as the American Idiot type, let alone Last of the American Girls."

"What can I say?" he shrugged, "It's one of those songs that makes me think of someone I know."

"Is it me?" I guessed.

"Who else would it be?" Kyoya put his hand on my thigh, "I only know two American girls and I'd say that Last of the American Girls coupled with She's a Rebel is you and Rhiannon to a tee."

"You're right," I always thought that. I was the Last of the American Girls side of it and Rhiannon was the She's a Rebel side, "I'd love to see American Idiot one day."

"You haven't?" he wondered.

"Nope," I laced my fingers between his, "I've only seen the Sound of Music. And that was eight years ago."

"Why haven't you seen American Idiot?" Kyoya asked, "I'd think you've seen it at least twice with the way you have the soundtrack memorized."

"I could never get the tickets," I admitted, "It's always sold out when I try and when I don't have the money, there's tickets coming out the ass."

"Huh..." I knew that look. That was the look Kyoya got when he was secretly plotting. Then again, that was his usual look. It's like a resting bitch face, but less bitchy and more cunning.

A cool breeze, the top down, my favorite Broadway soundtrack, and one of my favorite human beings to ever exist was all I needed. As Last of the American Girls came to a close, Last Night on Earth took over. And I got completely lost in thought. This song, along with When It's Time, fit Kyoya and me perfect. I remember him playing it for me one night after a bad panic attack and it felt like the hug I needed.

"My beating heart belongs to you...I walked for miles 'til I found you...I'm here to honor you. If I lose everything in the fire...Well, did I ever make it through...?"

Kyoya's grip on my hand tightened a little, "That was beautiful, Lana."

"Was that out loud?" I blushed. I wasn't cleaning and this wasn't the shower.

"Yeah," he pulled into the parking lot of the bed and breakfast. Damn. Karuizawa already?

"I'm sorry," I bit my tongue, "It wasn't supposed to. I guess I got caught up in the moment more than I wanted to."

"It's fine," Kyoya settled me, "I'm not going to critique you too hard. Come on. I'm sure Misuzu's waiting for us."

"Did you tell him we were coming?" I hoped.

"Of course I did," he gave me a quick kiss, "I told you I've been planning this trip to the letter for the past couple weeks. Even if I didn't, we have a room on permanent reserve."

"I know..." Misuzu made sure of that.

"In that case," Kyoya grabbed my door for me, offering his hand, "Lana, would you care to join me?"

"I'd love to," I had a smile back on my face, "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Kyoya grabbed the bags out of the trunk and the two of us went inside. Weird...Nobody at the front desk, "Misuzu?"

"Kyoya!" Misuzu emerged from a corner by the window, "And Lana, too!"

"Hi, Misuzu," I beamed. He had an infectious mood.

"I'm so sorry I kept you waiting," he chirped, "I was catching up with an old friend and I guess time slipped away from us. It's just that it's been a very long time since we've seen each other."

"We understand," I assured, "We were the same way when we were reunited."

"You have to tell me everything!" Misuzu begged, "Well…Everything that I haven't heard anyway."

"Who would've told you about us?" Kyoya asked, "Not many people know much about our time apart."

"Who else?" he shrugged.

"Me!" a familiar face squeaked, hugging me tight, "Hi, Lana!"

"Ranka?" I choked out, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I had a few days off," he explained, "And since Haruhi's in France, I thought I'd take a little vacation just for myself."

"This is a pleasant surprise," Kyoya pried me away from him, "How long are you going to be here, Ranka?"

"A few days," Ranka sat on the arm of one of the sofas in the lobby, "We should do something while the three of us are here together."

"Sure," I nodded, "But I'm kind of tired, so if you and I could go to the room, Kyoya, I'd really appreciate it."

"Of course," Ranka let us go, "Go rest up, sweetheart."

"Okie dokie…" I climbed onto Kyoya's back and the two of us went into our room. I must admit, he had a lot more upper arm strength than I gave him credit for. Kyoya dropped me on the bed and I melted right in the middle of it. Life was good again, "Kyoya…"

"Yes, Lana," Kyoya joined me, "What is it?"

"When you said you planned this trip to the letter," I asked, "Was Ranka in those plans?"

"No," he shook his head, "I only told him we were going in passing once. Why?"

"Because I have a theory," I curled into his ribs.

"And what's that?"

"Since Haruhi's in France," I assumed, "You think Ranka's going to dote all over me like he does with her because I'm right here?"

"It's possible," Kyoya thought, "But not probable. Ranka and Misuzu do go back quite a ways."

"As much as I love Ranka to death," I winced, "I really hope I'm wrong. I thought we'd have a week alone. It feels like we haven't had anything like that since you were in London for my birthday."

"It's only for a few days," he reassured me, running his fingers through my hair, "And the cabin's still just up the road."

"I'm sure we'll be alright," I buried my face in Kyoya's chest, "I'm just being a baby."

Knock, knock.

"Who the hell…?" Kyoya got up and answered the door, "Hi, Ranka."

"Look!" Ranka squealed, "Our rooms are next to each other!"

It's going to be a very long few days…

 **A/N: So, we all know Kyoya's very type A. And throwing Ranka in as a beautiful monkey wrench to their week in Karuizawa is going to prove to be an interesting feat. Also, I love how Lana's got Ranka pegged. Then again, when you've spent a lot of time in your own head like she has, you start to not only overanalyze your own actions, but other people's as well. It's good fun. For a hermit.**

 **Now, Ritsu. We're going to talk about one Ritsu Kasanoda and his texts with Lana. He's a sweetheart and people need to give him more credit. He might not be very hands-on, but he still cares, dammit. And I'm proud of Kyoya for being the bigger person and putting his petty jealousy aside for the sake of Lana's well-being. I reward him with a trip to Karuizawa with his lovely girlfriend…That may or may not have gotten interrupted by Dad next door. See you next chapter! xx**


	32. Number One Dad

**A/N: Hi, guys. Look. Before we get into today's chapter, I feel like I'm losing touch with you. I've been really weird in my head lately, like I've been in and out of consciousness, if that makes any sense and I'm not sure why, but it's made me very forgetful and disoriented, so please forgive me and kind of bear with me. And now that I'm done with my regularly scheduled whining, how about I give you your regularly scheduled chapter? Ok? Ok…**

I had no idea what Kyoya packed for me. We were going to dinner soon and I had no idea what I had. This was going to be a mixture of fun and terrifying, isn't it? No. Kyoya knows better. He wouldn't do anything stupid. He knows what I'm comfortable in and what I'm not. It was still pretty cool at night and even more so up here. I dug around in my bag and found my black virgin killer sweater I scored in Harajuku.

Kyoya Ootori, you cheeky boy. Luckily for me, my white leather jacket was in here, too. Damn, Lana. You look good. I checked myself out in the bathroom mirror a little more. If I wouldn't have come off as conceited, I probably would've whistled at this cutie in the mirror. As I put the final touches on my makeup, I yelled out of the bathroom, "Hey, Kyoya?"

"Yes, Lana?" Kyoya scrolled aimlessly through his phone, waiting for me to finish getting ready.

"Where did you say we were going tonight?" I asked.

"One of the restaurants in town," he told me, "We need to give the lamb a little time, if that's alright with you."

"Yeah," I chirped, "We shouldn't rush that. If it's not done right, you know I'll be cranky."

"I know," Kyoya came up behind me wrapping his arms around my waist, "Maybe I should've packed your bondage dress."

"Too cold for that," I fell into his chest, "Up here anyway. Hell, this might not even be enough."

"I understand," he kissed my neck, "But still. You, my love, look stunning as always."

"Thank you," I blushed. This boy...He always knew what to say, didn't he?"

"Are you ready yet?" Kyoya asked.

"Do I look ready?" I did one last look, "I don't need anything more or less?"

"Not at all," he held me, "You're perfect."

"I'm flattered," I thanked him, "But baby, I'm far from perfect."

"Baby steps, Lana," Kyoya insisted, "Baby steps. Come on. Let's go get dinner."

"Ok." Kyoya and I slipped out of our room, making sure not to rattle Ranka's door a mere few feet away. Something tells me he'd pop out like a bird from a cuckoo clock at noon. The two of us tiptoed down the stairs. Kyoya knew I wanted out as soon as possible and as inconspicuously as possible. Last we left Ranka was in his room, so theoretically speaking, we should be in the clear.

"Where are you two off to?" Dammit. Ranka and Misuzu hadn't moved.

"Dinner," Kyoya took one for the team. God bless.

"Aww..." Ranka melted, "That's sweet. Where?"

"Fragmen Caelum, it's called," he told them, "We're going to be late, so if you don't mind, we're going to go now."

"Hold on," Ranka stopped us, "When will you be back?"

"I'm not sure," Kyoya took my hand, "Who knows what we'll do after? Maybe take a walk. Go to a hot spring."

"With a young lady so late at night?" he gasped, appalled by the notion.

"It wouldn't be the first time," Kyoya eased my shaking, "It's fine, Ranka. There's no need for you to worry."

"Have her back by ten," Ranka demanded with a sweet smile on his face.

"We might be back by ten."

"Well," he hummed, "At least let me know if you're going to be out later than that."

"We will," Kyoya practically dragged me out of there before they could engage us in any more conversation. We had reservations to attend to. And Kyoya was nothing if not punctual.

"Please tell me that's as overbearing as Ranka gets," I hoped, the night air already settling me.

"I'm not sure," he thought, "That's as overbearing I've ever seen him get. And usually that's how he is with Tamaki, not me."

"Weird," I didn't even have to get my car door, "I think Ranka might like me."

"Hard not to," Kyoya turned the engine on, "And I can't really blame him for being protective. I'm sure that if Ranka met your parents..."

"Oh, God," I cringed, "I don't even want to think about that. You've met them and that's a hard enough pill for me to swallow. If they met Ranka? No. Ranka doesn't deserve that. He's a sweetheart and they'd tear him to shreds. Although..."

"What's that look all about?" he wondered, my expression getting lighter.

"When Rhiannon was in Tokyo with Yoshi," I remembered, "She never got the honor and privilege of meeting Ranka. Those two would be best friends."

"Those two would be a natural disaster," Kyoya assured, "And you know it."

"They'd need adult supervision, there's no doubt," I agreed, "But I'm sure it wouldn't be that bad."

"Think about it, Lana," he put it into perspective, "If your sister met Ranka, who do you think would be the one suffering the most collateral damage?"

"Me."

"Do you really want to suffer at the hands of Rhiannon and Ranka?"

"Maybe it'd be a good kind of suffer," I figured, "Maybe it'd be like a masochist going into a sex dungeon kind of suffering."

"You're not a masochist, Lana," Kyoya chuckled under his breath, "I lightly bit you once and you pushed me off you. You're not a masochist. You are as vanilla as the day is long and I wouldn't have you any other way. You could probably manage Rhiannon and Ranka on your own, but for me, I'd feel a lot better if you had Haruhi with you, so you're not outnumbered."

"I probably would have her with me," I shrugged as we pulled into the Fragmen Caelum parking lot, "I know I have the occasional bout of self-destructive tendencies, but I'm not that stupid."

"Good," he relaxed a little more. Damn. I've never seen Kyoya get this worked up over a hypothetical, "Shall we then?"

"Yes, please," I groaned, "I'm starving."

"If you were hungry," Kyoya scolded, "You should've told me. You know I would've gotten you something."

"I know..."

In all seriousness, I didn't realize I was hungry until now. I wasn't paying attention to my rumbling stomach. That was a lovely residual from the eating disorder that I thought I was over. Any time my stomach would make any sort of noise, I'd ignore it. When I started dropping weight drastically, that's when people started to take notice. But regardless of my past, I was about to stuff my face with everything and anything that wasn't nailed down. Once we got our table and sat down, I had a warm, fuzzy feeling wash over me.

"Lana...?" Kyoya smiled a little, "You ok?"

"Just thinking," I sighed, perfectly content with the world, "Something Ranka told me when I got out of the hospital."

"And what's that?" he laced his fingers between mine.

"Other than the obvious I worry too much," I began, "I told him about NYU and how we're not going together now. I think I'm going to keep looking in the area. Just because we're not both going to NYU doesn't mean we have to give our entire New York dream up."

"Good for you, Lana," Kyoya praised, "I'm proud of you."

"Which means that stint in the hospital was unnecessary." And there goes my good feeling.

"No," he stopped me, "Don't do that. Just a minor setback. Think about it, though. It'll be just you and me in New York. No one else."

"Except for the occasional hanging out with Rhiannon," I added, "If we're going to be living in the same city, there's no way we're not hanging out regularly."

"We'll see Rhiannon every day," Kyoya pointed out, "Especially if I'm working for her."

"Hold on." This was a new development I had yet to hear about, "When you're doing what?"

"You're not the only one that's been thinking," he went on, "I'm sure that Carlos will give me an internship at his shop. Rhiannon even said she'd try to pull strings for me. And who do you think I'd be shadowing?"

"Rhiannon," I beamed, "And when did this become more concrete?"

"Your last night in the hospital," Kyoya said, "I was trying to sleep, but to no avail. And I was laying in bed, thinking about what got you in the hospital in the first place. I knew I didn't want to be in that same state, but I had a little bit of a guilty feeling because I got in and you didn't."

"Don't do that," I bit my tongue, "You worked your ass off just like I did. They saw something in you that they didn't see in me. Consider me over it."

"I think they saw the last name and approved me," he admitted, "But it just got me thinking. There's no harm in me shadowing Rhiannon. I worked on your tattoo. I could probably do it with someone else, too."

"Are you saying you wouldn't do another one on me?" I gasped, "And you'd be moving on to someone else? Kyoya, I'm hurt."

"Very funny," Kyoya saw through me, "If we would've gone to New York instead of here, I'd probably be watching Rhiannon right now."

"Yeah," I smirked, "Watching her give me another one."

"You think you'd have to clear that with Yuuichi first?" he wondered.

"I'd think so," I assumed, "Maybe only if I get another one on my wrist, since that was usually the problem area."

"Maybe I should get mine tattooed over, too," Kyoya thought, "You know, Lana, you could've picked to go anywhere you wanted while we were on break. We could be sitting in New York right now. Why did you pick here?"

"Because," my grip on his hand tightened, "After getting out of the hospital and Disneyland, I needed simple. Calm. Quiet. New York couldn't give me that if I wanted it to. Besides, this is like a second home to me, too."

"And where's the first one?"

"My apartment in Tokyo," I blushed a bit.

Even when I was in London, my home for so long, I wanted to get back here. When I was in New York with just Rhiannon, I wanted to get back here. My heart was here. However, I think we'll be ok when we leave. Especially since I know my heart's going to be coming with me. And that's not going to change. As soon as we were done with dinner, Kyoya and I went on that walk we promised Ranka.

"What about London?" Kyoya asked, "We could've gone there, too."

"No," I shook my head, "With Tamaki and Haruhi in France and Hikaru and Kaoru in Switzerland, there's too much proximity. Besides, Elliot's not there."

"He's still in New York with Rhiannon?" he squeaked.

"Yeah," I nodded, "Has been damn near since he found out about the baby."

"Think they'll get married?"

"I wouldn't put it past him," I explained, "But Rhiannon said she'd never do it."

"People change," Kyoya pulled me closer to him, "Certain ideals change. I didn't think I'd ever fall in love with a girl that came into the host club."

"Here we are," I nuzzled my face in his shoulder, "And I never thought I'd end up with someone like you. Can I be honest with you?"

"Always."

"For a while," I bit my lip, "I thought you were with me out of pity."

"Sweetheart, no," Kyoya promised, "I'm not, nor will I ever be with you out of pity. You're not a pet project to me. You never were."

"Aww..." Two older ladies sitting at a cafe on our path gushed. Or so I thought they were old ladies...

"You two are so cute together," one of them spoke.

"Are you a couple?" the other asked.

"Yes, we are," Kyoya answered for us, but I wasn't falling for it.

"However," the first one told him, "You should probably be getting home. I'm sure either your parents or her parents are worried about you."

"Thank you," he smiled politely, "I'll keep that in mind."

"Kyoya..." I spoke flatly.

"Yes, Lana?"

"For being as much of a genius as you are," I rolled my eyes, "You can be kind of dense."

"What do you mean?" Kyoya gave me a look.

"What are you two doing?" I bit the inside of my cheek to keep my cool.

"What do you mean, dear?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Ranka," I grumbled, "What are you and Misuzu doing here?"

"What?" Ranka took his scarf off, "We can't go out now?"

"Were you following us?" I was beyond done.

"No!" Ranka assured, "Of course not."

"Well," Misuzu joined in, "We might have."

"A little bit," Ranka came clean, "You know how I am, Lana. I worry about you."

"Stalking me and being worried are two completely different things!" I screeched, trying my damnedest to keep it under control, "One is completely acceptable. The other is creepy as hell!"

"I promise you, Ranka," Kyoya held me back, "We're fine. We're good. And we should be back in a little while. Once she comes down."

Any other normal parent would've just called or sent a text or something along those lines. Not Ranka. He had my number. He has Kyoya's number. And fortunately for me, I have his daughter's number. It's only one o'clock in France right now. I wiggled out of Kyoya's arms and went off on my own for a minute or two into another cafe. I needed to make a phone call.

"Hello?" a soft, sweet voice on the other end chimed.

"Hi, Haruhi," I made myself comfortable on a park bench by a pond, "It's Lana."

"Hi, Lana," Haruhi greeted me, "How's Karuizawa?"

"Eventful," I took a few deep breaths, "How's France?"

"Beautiful," she swooned, "I met Tamaki-senpai's mom earlier."

"And?" I wondered, "How'd that go?"

"Well," Haruhi guessed, "I think. What about you? Is everything alright?"

"Actually," I winced, "I have a question."

"Shoot."

"How do I deal with your dad?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" Haruhi worried, "What did he do?"

"Well," I began, "Kyoya and I are in Karuizawa, right?"

"Yeah."

"When we got here," I went on, "Ranka and Misuzu were BS-ing in the lobby. Apparently, he's going to be sticking around for a couple days, too."

"I'm sure it's coincidental," Haruhi brushed it off.

"Kyoya told him we were going to Karuizawa," I murmured, "I don't think it's a coincidence."

"So, what did he do?" she asked.

"Not only did he follow us here," I continued, "But we just went to get dinner. When we left, we decided to take a little walk. Ranka and Misuzu followed us. How do you do it, Haruhi?"

"He means well," Haruhi assured, "Just let him be and he'll tire himself out. It's the same thing I do with Senpai. If you can handle him, you can handle my dad. There's not much difference."

"Haruhi..." Speak of the devil, "Come on. I haven't been in Paris since I was little. I want to go play!"

"Hold on," she hushed him, "You'll be fine. Like I said, just let him tire himself out. And it's only for a couple days.

"You're a godsend, Haruhi," I let out a heavy sigh, "Did you know that?"

"Who's that?" Tamaki asked.

"Lana."

"Lana!" Tamaki took his girlfriend's phone from her, "How are you? It feels like ages since I talked to you."

"We saw each other yesterday," I reminded him, "Settle down."

"Are you alright?" he went into the worried father mode way too quick with me.

"Just calling for a little advice," I pacified him, "Nothing major, Tamaki. I'm fine."

"Good," Tamaki sighed, "One less thing I have to worry about. You're not by yourself, are you?"

"Right now, I am," I reported, "Kyoya let me go off on my own for a bit."

That was the biggest and the best difference between Tamaki and Kyoya. Kyoya knew when to back off where if Tamaki was still in the country, he'd probably be smothering me. That is, until either Kyoya or Haruhi would bust out the spray bottle. Or the back of her hand...Haruhi's methods varied once in a while.

"Be careful," Tamaki begged, "And keep me posted, ok?"

"Follow me on Twitter," I suggested, "I don't post often, but I will just for you."

"Thank you!"

"Now, put Haruhi back on," I told him.

"Ok!"

"Hi, Lana," Haruhi came back, "Are you good now? Can you go back and handle things?"

"I think so," I nodded, "Thank you, Haruhi."

"No problem."

Click.

"There you are," Kyoya sat with me, "I was wondering where you ran off to. Not surprised to find you here."

"It's water," I pointed out, "You know how mermaids are."

"In all seriousness, though," he cradled me against his chest, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I cuddled into him, "I just got off the phone with Haruhi. She told me how to deal with Ranka. We're golden."

"Good," Kyoya twisted his fingers in my hair, "You think we could go back to our room now? It is getting kind of late."

"Yeah," I rubbed my eyes. Besides, I was getting pretty tired anyway. Between the drive here and having to deal with this mess, I'm exhausted. All I wanted was our bed and a few hours uninterrupted. Was that too much to ask for?

On the walk back, I got to thinking about the whole situation with Ranka and Misuzu following us. Haruhi might be right. Ranka has always looked out for me since we met and he's always worried about me. I can't really blame him for wanting to make sure I'm safe. I mean, I'm kind of a danger to myself. And not just with my head full of problems. I can choke on air and trip over my own two feet. He might seem a little overbearing, but I've never really had anyone like Ranka before.

When we got back to the bed and breakfast, I was more than ready to call it a night. However, someone I met at the door wasn't going to let me do that quite yet. Ranka looked like an absolute mess. This wasn't because of me, was it? A little part of me felt guilty about it. Someone needed to set Ranka straight and sometimes, a punch works better than a slap.

"Lana," Ranka asked, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," I sat with him, "Go ahead, Kyoya. I'll be up in a minute."

"Are you sure?" Kyoya asked.

"Yes," I sent him off. Kyoya gave me a quick kiss on the forehead and went upstairs to our room, "What is it, Ranka?"

"I wanted to apologize for borderline stalking you," Ranka started, "It's just that…Ever since the hospital, you've had me worried more than you usually do. Not to mention there was you parading around half naked at the host club's party a couple weeks ago. You've been flipflopping so much lately. You know that if you need anything, you can come talk to me, Lana. Always. Morning, noon, night."

Before he went spiraling, I hugged Ranka tight, hoping that would get him to settle down a little, "Thank you, Ranka. I appreciate the apology, but maybe next time, you could call instead of following me around?"

"Ok," his voice broke.

"But for now," I let out a tiny yawn, "I'm going to bed. Is that ok?"

"Of course," Ranka pulled himself together, "Good night, sweetheart."

"Good night."

 **A/N: I want Ranka to adopt me. Sure, he's a handful, but a handful with a heart of gold. And I love him. Also! Can we take a minute to talk about Lana and Kyoya discussing their future together? They already talk like they're married. Does that mean it's in the cards? It's looking like it's working for Rhiannon, but there's also a baby involved there. I'm not sure what's going to happen and I mean that with the utmost sincerity. I really don't. I guess we'll find out together, won't we? See you next chapter. xx**


	33. Lazy Days are the Best Days

**A/N: Hi, guys! This week, I had an absent thought and this is what spawned from that. Enjoy the spoils of my imagination.**

Waking up in Karuizawa felt like nothing less than waking up in a dream. Sometimes, I'd have to bring myself back and make sure everything was real. That usually came from Kyoya's morning doodles. The soft tickle of the felt tip on my skin did the trick. Whether it be on my arms, my legs, my stomach. Once, he managed to turn some stretch marks on my thigh into a shooting star and surrounded it with little planets and rockets and stars. My boyfriend truly had a talent.

The two of us had it figured out, didn't we?

Kyoya and I got out of bed and headed downstairs. The prospects of breakfast burned in the bit of my heart. And my stomach. On our way, my phone wouldn't stop buzzing. I finally looked down at the screen. Notifications from Twitter. Tamaki Suoh has followed me...Along with Hikaru Hitachiin...And Kaoru Hitachiin...And Mitsukuni Haninozuka...And Takashi Morinozuka...Jesus, boys.

"Lana?" Kyoya asked, "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah," I rolled my eyes, "There is no escaping the host club, is there?"

"No," he empathized, "There isn't. But it's the best kind of purgatory."

"That's true," I agreed. Sure, they could be excessive more often than not, but I still loved them. If I got followers now, the least I could do is start tweeting, right?

 _Another morning in paradise. Time for breakfast! #ohayo_

And...One favorite...Two favorites...Two favorites and a retweet...Three favorites and a retweet...Did the boys have me set on their notifications? Wouldn't surprise me. My overbearing brothers. From one kind of overbearing to another, Kyoya and I went into the dining room to find my favorite overbearing dad and his dear friend sharing morning tea.

"Lana, Kyoya!" Ranka lit up, "Good morning."

"Morning, Ranka," I wasn't exactly all there quite yet, but I'd manage.

"Oh, sweetheart," Misuzu picked up on it, "You sound half dead."

"I'm ok," we sat down, "What kind of tea is in this pot?"

"Earl grey with lavender and blackberry," Ranka gave me a cup, "Rough night last night?"

"Never been a morning person," I shakily poured my tea while Kyoya guided my hand, making sure I didn't burn myself, "Thank you, baby."

"My pleasure," Kyoya traded me the honey for the tea pot.

"So?" Ranka pried, "What do you two have planned for today?"

"I was planning on a trip to the hot spring today," Kyoya told him, "Unfortunately, the weather had a different idea."

"It's too bad," Misuzu sighed, "There are no natural springs indoors."

"Outdoor springs are always the best," Ranka agreed as I took my first scalding sip of tea. Misuzu was holding out on me. This blend had spearmint in it, too. Something about it complemented the rainy weather perfectly. All I was missing was some Jane Austen and a window seat. And that's when it hit me.

"You know," I thought it over, "Since I'm not really in the mood to do much, we could go up to the cabin and hang out there for the day."

"That does sound kind of nice," Kyoya admitted, "We can do that."

"It'll be just the two of us," I smirked a little, "You could paint me like one of your French girls."

"My French girl is actually in France right now," he rolled his eyes, trying to hide a smile from me.

"Kyoya..." Ranka turned into the protective father, "You'll be by yourselves? All alone?"

"Yes," he nodded, "And Lana, if we're going to the cabin, that lamb needs to be started, too."

"Mmm..." I swooned, "Can. Not. Wait."

"Wow, Lana," Misuzu awed, "I didn't know you cooked."

"I don't usually," I nursed my tea, "But Kyoya does. And he does a damn fine job, too."

"Really?" Both Ranka and Misuzu were impressed.

"Yep," I took my boyfriend's hand, "It's amazing, the things he does for me."

"Labors of love, koibito," Kyoya played with my fingers, "I'm more than happy to make that lamb for you."

"And bring me to Karuizawa," I went on, not allowing him to play the modesty card, "And making the trip from Tokyo to London twice and always taking care of me when I need it no matter the time of day."

"Kyoya," Misuzu gushed, "That's so sweet."

"She deserves nothing less," his grip tightened.

"I couldn't agree more," Ranka understood exactly where Kyoya was coming from, "There was a chance that Haruhi could've gone down the same road after Kotoko died and I thank God every day she didn't. But that's why I get so worried about you, Lana. I see a lot of similarities between you and Haruhi and I know that little spark in both of you needs to be taken care of and protected."

"And I thought I was the only one who saw it," Kyoya smiled, "You've been through more than you deserve, sweetheart, and I'm proud of you for sticking it out. But for now, before you get all teary eyed, you and I should get going."

"Yeah," I choked out, not sure how to feel about the sudden outpouring of love I was getting. Was there something going on that I didn't know about? Something they weren't telling me? Then again, maybe it's because I just got out of the hospital a few days ago and I'm still a little fragile.

"When are you two coming back?" Ranka wondered.

"Actually," Kyoya thought for a minute or two, "We might not come back tonight. Maybe we'll stay there."

So bold, Kyoya? Color me impressed. With boldness like that, I'm waiting for you to ask me for my hand without Tamaki's permission. Not that I'd mind us staying at the cabin for the night. I've cried in one of the bathrooms. It's practically a second home for me now. It would've been nice if he had ran it by me first, but I'm not complaining.

"Excuse..."

"Ranka..." Misuzu settled him, "We talked about this."

"You're right." Immediately, Ranka dropped his defenses, "Ok. At least let me know if you're staying there or not."

"I will," I promised, "And if we need anything, you'll be the first one we call."

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"Well then," Kyoya offered me his hand, "Shall we?"

"Ok," I accepted graciously. And just like that, the two of us left Ranka and Misuzu to gossip like a couple of hens about us.

Kyoya grabbed my car door for me, "You know, Ranka took that better than I expected."

"Yeah," I nodded, "He did."

Honestly, I'm impressed. Ranka did a complete one-eighty from last night. I guess he and Misuzu talked it over. Unless Misuzu wasn't the only one that had a stern word with him. Maybe his daughter did, too. Or Kyoya for that matter. But Kyoya didn't get confrontational often. But Haruhi never minced her words with Ranka and I respected her for that.

Once we got to the cabin, everything was lush and green and beautiful. The rain had that effect on things. If the view from our room wasn't surreal enough, this was the icing on the cake. Kyoya went to put the lamb in the oven while I was wrapped in a blanket on the couch, perfectly content with the world. Life was good. Life was very good. Considering everything that's gone on in the past week...Month...Hell, year...I deserved this.

"Lana," Kyoya joined me, "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything," I allowed, laying my head on his ribs, "What's on your mind?"

"You're not afraid of storms," he worried, "Are you?"

"Not at all," I shook my head, "Quite the contrary, actually. There's something soothing about a really vicious storm. But just on this side of tornadic. Anything after that and I'm horrified."

"That's good," Kyoya ran his fingers up my arm, "Movie?"

"Hell yes," I beamed. I've been meaning to binge watch something for a long time now, but I never found the time. When I was staying in New York with Rhiannon, it was nothing for us to spend her day off in front of her TV with an assortment of movies. She was quite the connoisseur of slasher flicks. And I had no problem with them. It was the movies that screwed with my head we'd avoid.

But me? I was a sucker for a good story. It didn't matter what it was. However, I gravitated a lot toward the fantasy genre. Once in a while, Rhi would throw me a bone and we were killing our afternoon in Middle Earth. And lucky me, my boyfriend was a sucker for elves and wizards and magic, too. Not many would expect something like that from him, considering Kyoya's analytic nature, but he had been so full of surprises since the day we met. Why not add this, too?

As soon as he put in Fellowship, our day went downhill from there. Neither one of us was moving from our spot on the couch unless it was to change the disc or go to the bathroom. Just when I thought the day couldn't have gotten any better. Rainy days couldn't be more perfect. Especially when I'd catch Kyoya looking down at me, absentmindedly tracing down my arms, playing with my hair, giving the occasional little kiss anywhere he could. His mere presence was enough to lull me into the most beautiful sleep. Somewhere around the middle of Two Towers.

There was a sort of magic in this cabin. A sort of peace...serenity. A calm that I couldn't get anywhere else. I didn't know if it was the cabin or Karuizawa, but it may be the mystical company I kept in the form of the so-called Shadow King. If that's the case, it's comforting in his shadows. And I never wanted to leave. Who wants to burn in the sun when we can stay here?

"Lana," Kyoya called for me, "Are you going to stand there or are you going to come outside and have dinner with me?"

"Right," I shook it off, "Sorry. Give me a minute."

"Take all the time you need, princess. I'm not going anywhere..."

I've heard that before. Where? Where did I hear that before? Regardless, I went outside to find the soft candlelight flickering against the rain with the smell of lamb and burning wood pulling me into a tailspin. I walked onto the back deck and threw myself into Kyoya's arms, "Hi..."

"Hi there," he cradled my face in the palm of his hand, "Shall we?"

"Yes, please." Our food was already on the table waiting for us. My god, I was starving and Kyoya's cooking never disappointed.

"Hey, Lana," Kyoya asked as the two of us sat down, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course," I smiled, "What is it?"

"What would you think," he took my hand, "if you and I were to leave all of this and move to London?"

"London?" I gave him a look, "What do you mean? I thought we were moving to New York after we graduate."

"I know," Kyoya went on, "But I want to take you where you were the happiest after I change one little thing about you."

"Kyoya..." my eyes grew wide and I started shaking, "You're scaring me."

"Not my intention," he assured, taking a little box out of his pocket.

"Kyoya..." I thought I was going to throw up, "What the hell are you doing?"

"I love you, Lana," Kyoya took a little sapphire ring out and slid it on my finger, "And I don't ever want to stop loving you. So, would you please let me change your last name?"

"What?!" I squeaked, waking up in a cold sweat. What the hell, Lana...? Why do you do that to yourself? I looked around for some sort of clock, but the Two Towers menu was burning into the TV. A dream...It was just a dream. I feel like I've had that dream before.

"Lana?" Kyoya cradled me against his chest, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I sighed out, bringing myself down, "Peachy..."

"Are you sure?" he worried, "You don't look peachy."

"I'm fine," I brushed him off, checking the time on my phone. A little after six...Ok. Then, I did a quick pat of Kyoya's pockets. Empty.

"Alright," he let me go, "Hungry?"

"Yes, please," I nodded vigorously, letting him get up to get the lamb. That smell was absolutely phenomenal and I needed it yesterday.

"Ok," Kyoya gave me a quick kiss on my cheek and got up from our indent on the couch, "Do we have dinner inside or outside?"

"INSIDE!" I freaked.

And Kyoya wasn't sure what to make of it, "Obviously. It's raining, Lana. That was a joke."

"Oh," I started to come down again and joined him at the kitchen table, "Sorry. My head's all over the place."

"You need a minute?"

"No," I set my eyes on one thing. Sweet Jesus…It's been so long, my friend. When I took my first bite, I damn near went through the floor, "I love you, Kyoya."

"Are you sure it's me and not my cooking?" he teased.

"Pretty sure," I smiled, "You know…We've had a lot of memories in this cabin."

"A lot of firsts, too," Kyoya pointed out, "The first time I ever told you I loved you. Our first kiss…"

"The first time you ever cooked for me," I went on, "The first time you threw me into a panic attack."

"I got you to calm down," he scoffed, "Not one of the more pleasant firsts in our book."

"I know," I agreed, "But we came out of it, didn't we?"

"Yes, we did," Kyoya's eyes twinkled a bit, "Just wait until we move to New York."

"And what if I can't?" I argued.

"That's too bad," he gave me a little kick under the table, "Because we have a few months left. I'm sure you can wait until then, can't you?"

"I guess," I pouted.

Although I might seem a bit pissy, I couldn't be happier. A few months left in Tokyo before I go back to the US and live within spitting distance of my sister. Kyoya and I better make the most of it then, shouldn't we? I couldn't wait to be back in New York, but Tokyo will definitely be missed. It'll suck leaving this behind.

But for the time being, this was nice. Just Kyoya and me. The way this trip was supposed to be. The two of us left entirely alone. I had him, he had me. No interruptions from any outside sources, whether it be the host club or affiliates or my sister or my parents. Not that I didn't love hearing from Rhiannon. I just wanted some time alone with my boyfriend. And apparently, that wasn't an easy thing to get unless I'm in and out of the hospital.

After dinner, I had no desire to move, but we had Return of the King to get through yet. Except for anything having to do with me, I've never seen Kyoya so enthralled in something. And it made me curious. I wonder if I could get him to do the conventions with me when we get back to the US…I doubt it, but it'd be worth a shot. Because I have that feeling Kyoya would look hotter than hell as a badass elf.

"Now," Kyoya poked at me as the credits rolled, "I pose this question to you."

"Shoot."

"Do you want to stay here for the night," he wondered, "or do you want to go back?"

"Depends," I thought it over, "If it's still raining hard, we're not going to have much of a choice. Going back to the bed and breakfast would just be dangerous."

"Actually," Kyoya had a little grin on his face, "It has stopped raining. And I'm thinking we still go to a hot spring."

"So late, though?" I gave him a look, "I doubt there would be anywhere there."

"You let me take care of that," he put his hand to my cheek, "Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back."

"Ok," I guess we were going to get that hot spring after all. We did the first time we were here and it was a bit earlier than this, but not by much. That was the night we told Rhiannon we were together. She was the first one to know…

Beep.

Who the hell…? Oh!

 _Hi, Lana. How's Karuizawa?_

 _RK_

Ritsu! I hadn't heard from him since the day we left. Granted, that doesn't seem like a very long time, considering we got here the other day, but it felt like an eternity.

 _Gorgeous as ever. :)_

 _LS_

I missed Ritsu. Before we went on break and before I went into the hospital, I knew Kyoya and I would be leaving for Karuizawa that Tuesday. Everyone else was going to be making their respective flights to whichever country they were leaving for, so I had all intentions of hanging out with Ritsu, but I wasn't anticipating my anxiety sucker punching me in the jaw.

Beep.

 _Are you back yet?_

 _RK_

And by the sounds of things, he misses me, too.

 _Not yet. Soon, Ritsu. I promise._

 _LS_

"Lana," Kyoya came back in, "I got us the whole spring to ourselves. Let's go."

"Ok!" I couldn't wait. Being half naked in front of Kyoya wasn't exactly my favorite thing, but he's seen me completely naked, scars and all. He wouldn't judge and I knew he loved every part of me, no matter what it looked like. Or at least that's what I tell myself to keep from throwing up when I catch a look at my reflection. One day, I'll come to terms with my body, but today would not be that day.

I wouldn't even be giving my body a second thought. As soon as Kyoya and I hit the water, everything was back to being good again. My rolling feeling of peace and serenity had picked up an upswing and wasn't going to come down. I nearly fell back asleep again in his arms. Kyoya stole a couple quick kisses, unable to keep his hands off me. Not that I'm complaining.

However, all of that came crashing down when someone thought he was going to be cheeky. And his unamused girlfriend ended up with a face full of water. Alright. If that was the way he wanted to play it. In retaliation, I splashed him back.

Kyoya got a dirty little smirk on his face that struck fear into my heart. I may have made a grave mistake, "You don't want to do that, Lana…"

"I don't?" I played innocent, splashing him again out of spite, "Do we forget who started this?"

"Don't do it, Lana…"

"Do what?" I splashed him again. Kyoya was going to kill me. And yet again, I underestimate Kyoya's upper arm strength. A massive wave made me lose my footing and I slipped underwater. I must have coughed up half the spring when I came back up.

"Oh my God," Kyoya took me into his arms, "I'm so sorry, Lana. Are you ok? I didn't mean for that to happen."

"Yeah," I shoved him a little, "You ass…"

"I know," he started to beat himself up and I wasn't going to let that happen, "And I understand if you want to go."

"Kyoya," I shut him up with a big slap across the water, "Consider us even."

Kyoya wrapped his arms around my stomach, practically folding me in half, "I love you, Lana."

"I love you, too," I laid my head on his shoulder.

"You want to start heading back?" he asked.

"Yeah," I let out a tiny yawn.

"Cabin or bed and breakfast?"

"Bed and breakfast," I grabbed my phone out of my bag. The last thing I wanted to do tonight was worry Ranka.

 _On our way back to the B &B. Staying there tonight._

 _LS_

And now, we wait. Kyoya and I got back in his car and went home for the night. After the day we've had, despite it being nothing but a lazy day, I'm exhausted. A nice, big, comfortable bed and my boyfriend sounded like a hell of a plan. When we got back, I expected Ranka and Misuzu to be BS-ing in the lobby like every other time we've come back. Neither one of them were there.

"Lana," Kyoya handed me a piece of paper, "Ranka's not here."

 _Went out with Misuzu._

 _Text me when you get back._

 _Love,_

 _Ranka._

Little hearts covered the note as well, "Looks like we got the place to ourselves then."

"Except for the couple down the hall," he pointed out, "How do you propose we spend the rest of our evening?"

"Bed time," I shoved my finger in his chest, "I'm really tired, Kyoya."

"Ok," Kyoya basket carried me into our room and laid me onto our bed, "Good night, my love."

"Good night."

I just hope Ranka and Misuzu don't do anything stupid. Before I went to sleep, I did one last check of my phone. Just to make the boys have a little peace of mind…

 _Good night, guys. I love you all. See you when you get home._

 **A/N: Fun fact! The tea blend in the beginning of the chapter? There's a company called Adagio that makes fandom tea blends and the one I used happened to be in an Ouran High School Host Club collection and it was made for Kyoya. I thought it'd be appropriate. And it sounds hella good, too. I kind of want some, but it's too late in the night for me to be drinking earl grey. I still want to sleep tonight.**

 **I needed a super fluffy chapter today. I don't know why, but I just did. And this sounds like an ideal day, to tell you the truth. Also, have you ever been so Extra™ while writing a fic that you made a Twitter for your MC? Because I did. Lana's Twitter is a legit thing if you'd like to go follow. Her tweets should be rather amusing from time to time. (Yes. I opened a RP account for Lana. Why? Why not?) Her handle is tamakimademe. I'm sure she'll do the occasional AMA, too. Not to mention, there'll probably be a little extra content that didn't make it into her story once in a while…Go ahead. Enjoy the spoils. Also, we won't be in Karuizawa for much longer. Besides, Ritsu misses Lana and I can't blame him. See you next chapter! xx**


	34. Lana the Mother

I woke up with Kyoya doodling on my arm like any other morning. A beautiful combination of thick lines and thin lines and a little bit of green here and there. Kyoya had such a talent. By the looks of things, it's a tree. A bare tree. I guess there was a strange sense of beauty in the desolate. Despite the dead look of the tree, the little flecks of green are the symbol for hope. Where there is death and destruction, hope and rebirth lie beneath the surface. Or Kyoya was in the mood to draw a tree.

"Good morning, gorgeous," Kyoya kissed up the branches, making his way to my cheek.

"Morning," I chewed on my lip a bit, "What are you working on?"

"Some simple plant sketches," he went on "After I'm done with the tree, I think I'll do some succulents on your other arm. Maybe some lotus blossoms on your thigh."

"I'm just a walking canvas to you, aren't I?" I teased.

"I have my cooking," Kyoya pointed out, "You have your body. We both bring something to the relationship that keeps the other around."

"I don't only keep you around for your cooking!" I squeaked.

"Lana," he shot me a wink, "I know better."

"You better know better," I pouted, watching him draw some more.

"You want to go get some breakfast?" Kyoya suggested, capping his pen.

"I'd love to," I gave him a quick kiss and got out of bed. As soon as I was mildly presentable, I went next door and knocked, "Ranka...!"

Silence. Maybe he was still sleeping. He did say he was going out with Misuzu last night. There's no telling what time those two got in. Going by what I've overheard in this lobby, Ranka and Misuzu have gotten pretty crazy in their younger days. And now that Haruhi's in a different country where she can't keep her father grounded, I'm sure all bets were off.

"Something wrong?" Kyoya came up behind me.

"Ranka's awfully quiet," I worried, "I thought I'd invite him to join us, but looks like he's still asleep."

"We should probably leave him alone then," he insisted, "I've seen Ranka when he's been woken up. It's not a pretty sight. And since Tamaki's not here to take the initial blast, we leave Ranka alone."

"Is he worse than you?" I wondered.

"About the same caliber."

"Alright then," I let it go. But Kyoya never got pissed at me when I'd wake him up. Sure, he'd be a little grumbly, but not nearly the same if it were, say, one of the boys. He knew not to blow up on me. My little heart couldn't take it.

When the two of us got downstairs, there was no Misuzu either. Maybe he crashed in Ranka's room? Either way, I needed tea. Kyoya got us a table by the window and got up to get my tea. Bless this boy. While he was gone, I did a quick check of my phone. Nothing. No texts, no missed calls, no emails. Not even the boys stalking my Twitter. Kind of nice, actually.

"Shh..." a familiar voice whispered, the door shutting behind him, "Don't wake anyone up, Misuzu."

"Shut up, Ranka," the other kept his voice down, too, "It's like we're seventeen again. Only we can't wake your parents."

"Are you two just getting back?" I worried.

"Uh..." Ranka and Misuzu exchanged nervous glances, "Good morning, Lana."

"And you yell at us for staying out late," I scolded, "At least when Kyoya and I do it, we tell you when we'll be back and NOT stay out all night."

I never expected that I'd have to be the responsible adult with them. Ranka took the empty seat next to me and threw an arm around my shoulders, "You see, sweetheart, sometimes Misuzu and I need to let off a little steam. Sometimes that takes all night. We thought you were going to be at the cabin last night."

"Do you not check your texts?" I asked, "I told you we were coming back last night."

"Sorry, Lana," Misuzu took a little bit of the fall.

"What's going on?" Kyoya put my tea on the table.

"Ranka wasn't still sleeping," I caught him up, "They just got back. So, where were you?"

"Out," Ranka giggled, "Doing stuff."

"Are you still drunk?" I asked, biting the inside of my cheek.

"No," he promised, "We sobered up around closing time."

"Then, we went to that diner at the foot of the mountains," Misuzu went on.

"Then, we went up in the mountains," Ranka added, "Do you know how amazing a good wine buzz is at higher altitudes? It's incredible. Like a really great camping trip. I highly recommend it."

"Not until you're older, though," Misuzu played the responsible adult, taking the burden off me, "You're too young for that kind of thing."

"We won't tell you about New Year's then," Kyoya joked.

"Or the underpants hanging from your chandelier," I chuckled to myself, immediately biting my tongue afterward.

"Lana..." There was the Ranka I knew and loved. After that, he sobered up real quick, "Who's underpants were hanging from the chandelier? They better not have been yours! You were raised better than that."

If Ranka was going to be that pissed, thinking they were mine, I didn't have the heart to tell him they were his daughter's. His little girl that he held on the highest of pedestals. Not to mention, I'm pretty sure that was the first time Haruhi and Tamaki ever slept together. That would be signing not only Haruhi's death warrant, but Tamaki's, too. And I've come to love them over the past couple years.

"They were my sister's," I covered, "We had a slumber party at Kyoya's one night and things got a little out of hand."

"I knew Haruhi was hanging around bad influences," Ranka rolled his eyes, "I've never met your sister, have I?"

"No," I shook my head, "If she ever comes over here before she gets too pregnant to fly, you'll have to meet her."

"Definitely!" he changed his tune awfully quick, "Well, I should probably be going."

"You're leaving already?" Misuzu asked.

"Sorry," Ranka winced, "I have to work tonight."

"We'll be right behind you," Kyoya chimed in, "We should be leaving tonight."

"Aww," Misuzu whined, "You're all leaving me!"

"Not until tonight," Kyoya settled him, "We're not leaving yet."

"When will you be back?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, "But we'll be back before graduation."

"We can't leave Japan without saying goodbye," I smiled, "Come on, Misuzu. You really think I'd do that to you?"

"No," Misuzu cheered up.

"Either way," Ranka hugged me tight, "I love you, Lana. See you when you get home."

"Love you, too, Ranka," I surrendered to his warm, loving embrace. That was going to be one of those things that'll suck the most when Kyoya and I leave for the US. Here, all I had to do was say jump and I'm pretty sure Ranka would ask how high. There? The closest I'll have is Elliot. And as much as I love him, it won't be the same as Ranka.

After breakfast, Kyoya and I headed into Karuizawa a little further than we've ever been. I never got to experience the shops while we were here. It'd be an occasional trip to town to either get dinner or snacks. Other than that, we were up in the mountains or at the bed and breakfast or at the cabin. On our route, a little trinket shop caught my eye. Mostly because of the postcards in the window.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kyoya asked as I tugged away from his arm.

"In here," I stepped into the shop, spinning the rack of postcards around. I needed the lamest and cheesiest postcard I could find. The one with the picture of the sakura blossoms still on the trees reflecting off the water would do nicely.

"Rhiannon?" he assumed.

"Nope," I gave one hundred yen to the woman behind the counter and took a pen out of my bag.

"I know that's not going to your parents," Kyoya joked darkly.

"So do I," I started to pen the note on the other side.

To Yuuichi,

Love you to death, but I don't wish you were here.

All my love,

Lana

"Yuuichi?" Kyoya gave me a look, "My brother?"

"No," I giggled, "The other Yuuichi Ootori I know."

"Why?" he wondered, questioning my sanity.

"He told me to send him a postcard," I explained, "And if I didn't, he'd be a little disappointed."

"Lana," Kyoya wrapped his arms around me, "Have I told you lately how much I absolutely adore you?"

"Not lately," I dropped the postcard in the mailbox outside, "But please. Feel free to stroke my ego."

"There is no ego stroking here, my love," he promised, "Not when it's true. You're very precious to me and I never want to let you go."

"I love you, too, Kyoya," I stole a quick kiss from him, gripping his hand a little tighter, "Since it's our last day in Karuizawa, what should we do now?"

"What do you want to do?" Kyoya pulled me closer, "Anything at all."

Honestly, because I loved the way it made me feel afterward, I wanted to go back up in the mountains. The hot spring we frequented while we were here was perfectly nestled in a crevasse that the sun shined just the right amount through. And when it began to set, the mountains swallowed it whole. Everything about this particular spring was magical. And absolutely perfect.

Not to mention, I could never get tired of seeing Kyoya shirtless. I'm human, not a saint. As we got into the water, I laid my head on his chest, right above his heart. The simple beat kept me completely level. As long as I could still hear his heart beating, I'd be ok. Nothing could go wrong. Kyoya pushed my hair out of my face and pulled it up for me, "You ok, Lana?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I'm fine."

"You know," he kissed my forehead, "I really can't wait until this is an everyday thing."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Every morning when I wake up," Kyoya ran his fingers down the faint outline on my arm, "You're still sleeping. It's going to be the first thing I see every single day. And it'll be the last thing I see before I fall asleep."

"And all of the mystery in our relationship has gone out the window," I teased, trying to keep myself from crying.

"Lana, I know you biblically," he splashed me a little, "I've brought you down from countless panic attacks and probably prevented a few. I'm pretty sure we don't have any mystery in our relationship. And would you look at that? I'm still here."

He really was genuinely happy to be with me. The concept baffled me, but I guess stranger things have happened. Like how a little girl that everyone thought was a stonehearted bitch managed to fall in love with someone everyone thought was possibly a demon. Or yakuza. At least we're not the ones missing out.

Although, ever since we've gotten here, Kyoya's been awfully affectionate. It made me wonder what was waiting just around the corner. When the other shoe was going to drop. No. Lana, don't do that to yourself. Don't question it. Enjoy it. Does Kyoya have to propose to you in order for you to get it through your thick skull he loves you for some ungodly reason? And that he's not going to leave you? Don't question. Enjoy.

With a quick stop at the bed and breakfast to kiss Misuzu goodbye, Kyoya and I drove off into the night with Andrew McMahon providing the soundtrack. I really think I am beginning to rub off on this boy. First, it was him being so cool with me getting tattoos. Then, it was American Idiot on the way up here. Now, it's Andrew McMahon on the way back. I always see the good he's done for me, but I never think about what I've done for him. And according to Yuuichi, it's more than I imagine.

When we got home, I just wanted to crash. Kyoya and I fell on my bed and I curled into his ribs. My favorite reflex. But then, I had a sudden realization, "I have to see Yuuichi in the morning."

"Why's that?" Kyoya cradled me against his chest.

"He told me I had to see him the day after we come back for a follow up," I remembered, "You know I love Yuuichi and he's one of the few doctors I've had that I don't want to punch, but I really don't want to."

"Then don't tell him we're back," he suggested, "How is he going to know? Yuuichi thinks we'll be back Sunday night. After school on Monday, you can skip out on the host club and go see him then."

"But I don't want to skip out on the host club either," I pouted.

"Go after the host club gets out."

"You always have to have the last word, don't you?" I looked up at him.

"No," Kyoya pulled my blanket over us, "You just have a little habit of making things more difficult than they have to be."

"Hi," I introduced myself, "I'm Lana. I think we just met. I'm a simple girl that makes everything complicated."

"Very true," he giggled, "But that's what you have me for, right? To bring things down to a simple level for you?"

"Yeah," I buried myself in the warmth of his arms, never wanting to be anywhere else, "Hey, Kyoya?"

"Yes, Lana?"

"I kind of made a promise to someone," I told him, "About when we get back…"

"Oh?" Kyoya wondered, "And what's that?"

"Tomorrow," I braced myself, hoping he won't blow up, "I'm supposed to hang out with Ritsu for a while. Is that ok?"

"You're your own person, Lana," he allowed, "I thought Kasanoda and I put our petty squabbling aside. We've been over this."

"I know," I bit my lip, "But I know deep down, you're suppressing."

"I'm suppressing a lot of things, koibito," Kyoya gave me a soft, sweet kiss, "Kasanoda is the last thing on my mind. As long as you're careful and come back in one piece, that's all I care about. But until then, it's just you and me and I'd like to make the most of it. Is that alright with you?"

"Always," I nuzzled my face in his shoulder, already starting to fall asleep. That is until my phone decided it was going to go off. Whoever this was on the other end better be dying. Kyoya so kindly handed me the infernal device off my nightstand, "Hello?"

"Hey, Lana," a delightful English accent chirped on the other end, "It's Elliot."

"Hi, Elliot," I sat up, fingers crossed that no one was dying, "What's up?"

"Is everything alright?" Kyoya got nervous, too.

"It's Rhiannon," he explained, "She went to put her jeans on this morning and broke down because they didn't fit. I had to spend an hour getting her to stop crying, so I need something to cheer her up."

"Dude," I rubbed my eyes, "You realize how time exchange works, right? How it's one in the morning here and noon there?"

"Were you sleeping?" Elliot worried, "I'm sorry, love."

"We weren't sleeping," I assured, "But just about there."

"I'm in a serious bind here, Lana," he freaked, "What do I do? How do I cheer your sister up?"

"When she comes home," I suggested, "Dinner and a movie. Trust me. She'll even right out."

"What do I get her?" Jesus, Elliot. You knocked her up, but you know nothing about her.

"Rhi's a sucker for a good slasher flick," I rolled my eyes a little, "But I suggest avoiding the Clinic."

"Already got her pregnant…"

"No, you idiot," I was so close to hopping a plane to New York just to kick Elliot's ass, "The Clinic. It's one of Rhiannon's favorite movies."

"So, why wouldn't I get that?" Elliot asked, "If it's one of her favorites…"

"It's about a woman getting kidnapped the day before Thanksgiving," I gave him a brief description, "She's going to her fiancé's house for dinner and when their car breaks down, she ends up getting kidnapped and has her unborn baby stolen from her uterus. I don't think that's the kind of thing my pregnant sister needs to see."

"Noted," he gagged a little. As did Kyoya, "So, what do I get her then?"

"The Notebook and Italian food," I insisted, "It'll give her a reason to cry and not feel self-conscious about it and the carbs will fill the void."

"You're a genius, Lana."

"Not a genius," I corrected him, "I just know how to work my sister. Can I go to sleep now?"

"Go ahead," Elliot chuckled, "Love you, sweet."

"Love you, too."

I hung up my phone and threw it on my nightstand. Kyoya pulled me back into his arms, "I'm worried about your sister's choice in cinema…"

"I couldn't watch the rest of it," I remembered, "The first time I watched the Clinic with her, I was thirteen and it freaked me out so bad that she had to take me for a drive to settle me down. Still to this day, I have yet to finish it. I don't know if she gets her baby back. I don't know if she lives through it. And I don't want to know."

"Go to sleep, Lana," he ran his fingers up my arm, "Nothing's going to hurt you here."

"Because you won't let that happen…" And I fell asleep that night with a smile on my face.

The next morning, I managed to wake up before Kyoya. Almost ten o'clock and you're still sleeping? You're slipping, baby. As gently as possible, I moved his arm off me and started making breakfast. And by making breakfast, I mean dumping out Saturday's medication slot and making my own tea for a change. He can sleep. Besides, I had a phone call to make.

"What?" the voice on the other end growled at me. Someone just woke up…

"Ohayo, Ritsu," I beamed.

"Lana!" I swear to God, I heard a thud on the other end. Followed by a scramble for the phone again, "Hey, hi…What's up?"

"Are you busy today?" I asked.

"No," Ritsu panted, "Why?"

"Because I'm back from Karuizawa," I reported, "And I want us to play today. Is that alright with you?"

"Of course," he confirmed, "Yeah. I'll be by your place in an hour to pick you up?"

"Ok!"

 **A/N: Well, quite a bit happened in this chapter, kids. Ranka got the business end of Lana's mom voice. Rhiannon's pants don't fit anymore. Kyoya's extra snuggly lately. And Kasanoda's a huge dork as always. This kind of gave me such a warm, fuzzy feeling. I've been in need of a little bit of love lately. Things have been getting hard lately, but I'm sure I'll get through it eventually. One of these days, kids. On a less depressing note, though! Next week, we get to hang out with Ritsu! Did I mention he's a massive dork and even more so around Lana? Because I love him for that very reason. He's downright precious. And Lana did promise. See you next chapter! xx**


	35. Lana and Ritsu's Big Adventure

**A/N: Hi, guys! I'm sure you're all excited for this week's chapter, much like me. Mostly because I know what's happening and you're all anticipating what's going to happen, but first, it has been a hot ass minute since I said anything to my guest reviews and I'm truly sorry from the bottom of my heart. You guys are here, too. And you're involved. And I love you, too! Now, if it's alright with you, I'd like to talk to one in particular.**

 **Sophia Elaine J? Yes. I'm talking directly to you through the magical powers of the internet. Everyone else, go away…Everyone else, are you gone? Great! Fantastic. Now, back to you, my dear, sweet Sophia. I know** ** _exactly_** **what you're talking about. I've been dealing with depression and anxiety for probably the past ten, eleven years and didn't realize I had it until my freshman/sophomore year of high school. Even then, I was very isolated and I'd rather be by myself than around other people. It's extreme introversion at its finest. But I also had a bad experience six years ago at my cousin's wedding that involved a not so healthy habit that I hadn't partaken in in two years before that. And as of the third of September, it's been six years since I had an incident. Am I saying it was easy? No. Am I saying I haven't thought about it a few times since then? HEEEEYYYLLL no. But here I am.**

 **What I'm trying to say is that you don't need to put yourself down. The fact that you're still here proves how badass you can be. You are more, much more, than your problems are making you think you are. Am I saying you need to put on a brave face every single day? Hell no! Sounds exhausting. But I understand your wanting to lose yourself in a fictional world. It's warm. It's comforting. It's always there when you need it. And you always have the luxury of coming and going whenever you want. But in all honesty, thanks for losing yourself in mine. Make yourself at home, kick your feet up. Welcome home. You earned yourself a room on the compound. Just be careful of your roommates. They're loving and supportive, too. And if you need something, let me know, ok? I have socials on my profile and if you ever want to get an account, my inbox is always open. Now, if it's ok with you, I have an update to write to keep this lovable bunch happy.**

My, Kyoya was awfully affectionate today. He didn't seem to want to let me go. But then again, I did tell him my plans for the day. And he was always a bit jumpy when my plans didn't involve him. Even worse when they didn't involve him, but Ritsu instead. But Kyoya knew better. He knew Ritsu was more than capable of taking care of me if things go south.

"Please," Kyoya hugged me tight, "Be careful, Lana."

"I will," I couldn't complain, though. Kyoya's embrace was a rather comforting place to be. And one of my favorites.

"And call me once in a while."

"I will."

"And be careful."

"You said that already," I kissed his cheek, "Don't worry, Kyoya. I'll be fine. I'll be home later."

"You know I worry about you, Lana," Kyoya held me closer. If he was so afraid of me breaking, he could let go just a little bit instead of trying to snap my spine.

"I know," I tried to wiggle out of his arms, but it wasn't happening, "Kyoya, Ritsu texted me five minutes ago."

"Just a little peace of mind every now and then," he begged, "That's all I ask."

"I will," I nuzzled my face in his chest, "Trust me, Kyoya. I'll be fine."

Beep, beep!

"Ok," Kyoya let me go, but just a little, "I love you."

"I love you, too," i grabbed my bag, "And I'll call you or text you throughout the day. Now, Ritsu is outside. I'll be back in a little while."

"Go ahead," he gave me one last kiss on the landing outside my door, "I'll see you later."

"Bye," I skipped down the stairs and jumped onto the back of the black motorcycle in front of my building, "Hi, Ritsu."

"Hey, Lana," Ritsu gave me his extra helmet, "Where do you want to go?"

"I don't know," I wrapped my arms around his waist, "Surprise me."

"How's a cafe sound?"

"Perfect." I skipped out on breakfast and had yet to have a cup of tea in me. A cafe sounded ideal. And I knew of one in Akihabara that I couldn't go to with Kyoya. Or any of my other friends. Except maybe Haruhi and only if Tamaki wasn't going to find out about it.

"Really?" Ritsu cringed, "A butler cafe? Don't you have a boyfriend?"

"That doesn't mean I can't appreciate the view," I grinned darkly, looking in the window, trying my best not to swoon.

"You don't get enough of this at the host club?" he pointed out, "You're there every day. It's basically the same thing."

"I know," I bit the inside of my cheek, "But this is different. These are adult men that have hit puberty. I love my host club boys, but this is like forbidden fruit."

"Yikes..."

And in that moment, I realized exactly what I sounded like. Not necessarily a creepy fangirl, but I sounded just like my sister...This was Rhiannon coming out in me and Ritsu had every right to go yikes at me. My humility finally started to kick in, "We can go somewhere else, if you want."

"No," Ritsu turned away, "If you want to go here, we can go here. It's fine."

"Not if you're going to be uncomfortable the whole time," I argued.

"Lana," he grumbled, "Don't worry about me. We'll go anywhere you want to."

"Ok," I took his hand, "Come on."

Ritsu and I left his bike in front of the butler cafe and walked down a block or two to another one I loved to go to. That wasn't full of beautiful men bringing me my tea and calling me mistress. One a little more simple than that. When I first got to Tokyo, I came here and never felt so at home, at ease. And one of the wait staff never rushed me when I'd get anxious, trying to order.

"You know," Ritsu thought out loud, "This doesn't seem like your kind of place. I never would've expected you to be in the otaku district much."

"Oh yeah," I nodded, "Believe it or not. Everyone's nerdy about one thing or another. This just happens to be my cup of tea. I've read a lot of manga in my lifetime and watched a lot of anime and I fell in love with the storytelling and the art style. I don't think Kyoya even knows about that side of me. But I'm not running out to get dakimakura or anything like that."

"Good," he sighed out, "I'm glad to see you have a limit. The whole body pillow thing is kind of creepy."

"Amen, sister," I raised my tea cup to him, "But you can't tell me there's nothing that you nerd out about."

"Not cosplay and yaoi."

"Rude," I giggled, "And I don't have any yaoi! I think you have me mixed up with Renge. And cosplay's a lot of fun. Shut up."

"Well," Ritsu stared into his drink, "I'm a bit of a sucker for old weaponry."

"See?" I stuck my tongue out at him, "We're all a little fangirl for something. Not to mention, some of the old samurai swords are absolutely beautiful. They're works of art in their own right."

"Exactly!" he got all excited, but brought himself back down in the same breath, "I mean...They're alright."

I hate when he does that. Ritsu should know better by now that he doesn't need to hold back with me like that. I have no room to judge. And I wouldn't. I just openly told him I was a little otaku and he didn't say squat. He should know I would extend the same courtesy. But to each their own, I guess. In time.

"I think they're pretty amazing," I smiled, "And katanas, too. I'd carry a couple in each sleeve if I could."

"Nerd," Ritsu chuckled under his breath.

"And unapologetic about it."

"Hey, Lana," he dropped his gaze back down, "There's one other thing I kind of get excited over."

"What's that?" I wondered.

"Come on," Ritsu grabbed our check and the two of us headed a little way down the street to a big, bright building. In my time of living in Tokyo, I've been all over Akihabara, but I don't think I've ever been here before. It looked like an office building from the outside, to be honest. When we walked in, this place looked like a hotel lobby.

"Ritsu," I looked up at him, confused and on the verge of anxious, "Where the hell are we?"

"One of the best kept secrets in this town," he settled me, "You want my inner otaku? I can give you my inner otaku."

The two of us ended up heading down into the basement of this building. And I only got shakier and shakier with each flight of stairs, "This isn't going to be like a sex dungeon or a place for you to kill me, is it?"

"No," Ritsu checked me over, "You're not freaking out or anything, are you?"

"A little bit," I tried to relax a little more, but it was only making me worse.

"Lana," he cradled me against his chest, "It's alright. I want you to trust me and know that I'd never do anything to intentionally hurt you. Just relax, ok?"

"Ok," I did my best to bring myself down. Mini attacks like that were easy to get rid of. Happy place, Lana. Happy place.

When we got to the bottom of the stairs, did I ever find my happy place. The door opened up to an underground arcade. The bright, flashing lights brought me back to a place I hadn't been in a very long time. There was an arcade Rhiannon and I went to in New York that was kind of like this, but that arcade couldn't hold a candle to this.

"This feels like it'd be your kind of element," Ritsu let me go, "You ok?"

"Oh yeah," I got lost in the haze of the chiptune coming from the cabinets and the bells and whistles coming from the pinball tables, "This, I can get behind."

"This is my hidden shame," he teased, "Emphasis on the hidden thing. You'd never know this was down here if you look at the building from the outside."

"Kind of like us," I thought it over, "From the outside, this looks like a plain, boring office building. But on the inside, deep, deep down, it's this massive arcade where otaku trash like myself would lose themselves."

"If you want to be that metaphorical about it," Ritsu put some money in a Mortal Kombat machine, "You want to take the second player slot?"

"Hell yeah!" I followed suit.

"Are you sure?" he got cocky, "I'm pretty good at this."

"And I'm not?" I smirked, "I got this."

"Just know," Ritsu assured, "There are no tears in this dojo. If you start crying on me, I don't think I'll be able to handle it."

"I won't," I promised, going through the character selection screen, "Only if you won't on me."

"Winner picks next game?"

"Deal."

And so, our fight began. Ritsu fought with Johnny Cage while I fought with Kitana. Yeah. This was going to be a piece of cake. With determination in my heart, I set out to kick Ritsu's ass up and down the street. The only other person I've played this with was Rhiannon and even though she always put up quite a fight, I beat her almost every time. I might lose one in ten fights, but Ritsu was a hell of an opponent.

Even though we weren't physically fighting, this was making me sweat. And I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest. I've never been so into a Mortal Kombat fight before. Health bars started dropping on both sides and we were both in the red. Things were looking bleak for me. Maybe Ritsu was actually going to beat me. Until I saw my special flashing. Yep. Not losing this one.

"Fatality..."

"You..." Ritsu stared at the screen in disbelief, "You beat me..."

"Yes, I did," I beamed, oozing with pride, "Congratulations, Ritsu. You just got your ass beat by a girl."

"And you're the only one I'll allow," he leaned back on the cabinet, "I wasn't expecting that kind of beginner's luck out of you."

"Beginner's luck?" I scoffed, "No, no, no, sweetie. That was skill."

"I graciously accept my defeat," Ritsu bowed to me, "Now, what are we playing next?"

Usually, I didn't do multiplayer games. And my choice of game was proof of that. I had one old school game I was an idiot savant at. I wasn't sure why, but I had laser focus when it came to Pac-Man. It brought me to a place that was entirely stress free. Just a simple pattern in a maze of white dots. Follow the same pattern every time and the screen will always be cleared.

After a few more games and Ritsu's redemption at Mortal Kombat, the two of us left the underground arcade and headed back out toward Shimokitazawa. This could very easily be one of my favorite neighborhoods in all of Tokyo. Something about this place felt like visiting Rhiannon in Williamsburg. It smelled like artisanal coffee, but there wasn't a Starbucks in sight.

After a few trips in the shops and a few thousand yen dropped, I had a present for my sister, a new tea pot (Ritsu insisted. Clearly, this boy had never been in my apartment and had no clue I had a hoarding problem when it came to tableware.), and a Snickers, the sun had started to set. I wasn't going to say anything if Ritsu wasn't. I didn't mind staying out late.

But in all seriousness, this day couldn't have been better. I got outside my comfort zone a lot, but I was still ok. Usually when I'd go out with Kyoya, we'd stay in openly public areas or we'd hang out at my place. But hanging out with Ritsu was an entirely different monster. Although, when he took me down an alley, I started to get a little nervous again. He's not going to do anything to put your life in danger, Lana. Everything's fine.

"Hey, Ritsu," I took his arm, doing my best to calm down.

"What, Lana?"

"Thank you," I laid my head on his shoulder, "For today..."

"No problem." If I didn't know any better, I'd think I saw a genuine smile on Ritsu's face. That was one of those things that didn't happen often, but when it did, the world stopped for a minute, "Come on. I'm about to show you a side of Tokyo that I guarantee Kyoya would never show you."

"I don't know," I shrugged, "He's taken me to Shinjuku after dark. I think it's pretty hard to top that."

"What the hell were you doing in Shinjuku after dark?" Ritsu freaked, "He should know better than that!"

"Relax," I giggled, "My sister was working in a tattoo shop in Shinjuku for a little while. The artist she was studying under knows Kyoya really well."

"Never would've thought he'd be into that sort of thing," he grumbled, "Kyoya doesn't seem like the type to frequent tattoo shops."

"He's got a talent," I pulled up my cardigan sleeve, "That's for sure."

"I keep forgetting Kyoya did your tattoo," Ritsu pulled it back down, "Did he ever put a needle on you?"

"No," I shook my head, "My sister did that part. Kyoya's never held a tattoo gun before. Although, my sister said that she'd teach him how to use one if he ever wanted to learn. He's thinking about it."

"I have a hard time seeing him as a tattoo artist," he chuckled a bit.

"Rhiannon says he has promise," I chimed, "Then again, I might be biased."

"Just a little..." Ritsu nudged me forward, "Come on."

"Where are we going?" I wondered, "You never told me."

"It's this place called Black Dragon," he filled me in, grabbing the door, "It's a cool place. I've seen SID here three times, the Gazette once or twice. I know one of the guys that runs the place. I'm always on the list."

"What makes you so special?" I jabbed.

"The fact that my last name is Kasanoda," Ritsu reminded me, "I might hate the fact that I come from yakuza, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have its occasional perks."

I never see Ritsu as yakuza. I've seen Kyoya more as yakuza than Ritsu. He never showed me that side of him and I don't think he ever will. Ritsu didn't want that kind of power. He just wanted to be normal. And if I was what he considered to be his normal, his being brought back down to earth, then so be it.

Ritsu brought me inside to this intimate little venue with some local band playing. They weren't bad, but I could hardly understand what they were saying. All of the singer's words ran together. None of that really mattered anyway. I got swept up in the energy of the crowd and the pounding of the bass and the smashing of the drums and the intense guitar riffs. Ritsu was right. I don't think Kyoya would ever bring me in a place like this. However, I don't think he'd expect to find me in a place like this either. I'd have to remember where Black Dragon was for the next time Rhi was in town.

"Hey, Ritsu," I yelled over the music.

"Yeah?" he yelled back.

"I'm getting kind of tired," I told him, "You think we could get out of here?"

"Sure," Ritsu pushed our way through the crowd and somehow, we ended up back outside. He threw me on the back of his bike and the two of us took off again, "You want to go home?"

"Not quite yet," I laid my head on his back, "I think I have one more stop in me."

"I know exactly where we can go..."

He had taken me all over creation today. What's one more place? I did tell Ritsu to surprise me. And he didn't disappoint. I wasn't anticipating him taking me to Nakameguro, though. Kaoru and I talked about this place once before after he was bringing me down from a minor panic attack one day. Our conversation didn't do it justice.

We got to a park on the river lined with lights and sakura trees in full bloom. My allergies hated me right now, but I didn't care. This was absolutely breathtaking. We may have only known each other since January, but I think it's safe to say that Ritsu understands me and the way I work.

"Wait here," he sat me on a park bench, "I'll be right back, ok?"

"Ok," I was perfectly content sitting here by myself in complete awe of the mini explosions of bright pink hanging from the trees. The water must have been more petals than water at this point. I couldn't see any reflections, but little flecks of light from the streetlights. This was nice. Another place I needed to remember.

"Where were you, space cadet?" Ritsu handed me a cup of tea.

"I haven't left," I assured, "Just in a really nice headspace. Ritsu, this is completely stunning."

"I love this spot," he agreed, "It's centering."

"No doubt."

"You know," Ritsu told, "This river was once full of toxic waste a long time ago."

"Really?" I gave him a look, "There's no way. Everything's so bright and beautiful. How was this ever toxic?"

"There was a spill and the fallout came here," he went on, "But now, it's pure again. Amazing, isn't it?"

"What?"

"How things can be brought into this world so pure," Ritsu sighed, "So innocent. But then, some sort of outside force taints them and forces them into being something it's not. But then, a different outside source takes care of it and makes it pure again."

"Ritsu," I gasped, "That was beautiful…"

Almost immediately, he turned bright red and flustered, "It was just a thought."

"Doesn't make it any less," I rested my head on his shoulder. I couldn't have picked a more perfect end for this day. Hot tea, gorgeous scenery, a good friend. Not to mention, having Ritsu's motorcycle going between my legs wasn't half bad either.

Before we knew it, Ritsu and I were back at my place. I gave him a quick hug goodbye and sent him off into the night. Damn, Lana. It's ten o'clock and you're just getting home? Jesus, you have school in the morning. Regardless, it was nice to have that day with Ritsu to just screw around and come back down to earth. I checked my phone for any messages and sure enough, three missed calls from Kyoya. I should probably let him know I'm alive.

Ring…

"Lana?" Kyoya answered, out of breath, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I settled him, "I just got home. Are you alright?"

"I am now," he let out a heavy sigh, "How was your day?"

"Amazing," I beamed, "Long, but fun."

"That's good," Kyoya's bed squeaked in the background, "You're alright, though, right?"

"Yes," I giggled, "I promise. What about you? What did you do without me all day?"

"Tamaki and Haruhi flew in a little while ago," he filled me in, "And Hikaru and Kaoru shortly after that. Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai aren't coming in until tomorrow, so I had plenty to keep me busy."

"So, you and Haruhi had to take care of the children," I figured, "Sounds exhausting. You want me to let you go to bed?"

"No," Kyoya hummed, "I like hearing your voice. Don't go."

"Tell you what," I smiled, "I'll leave my door unlocked."

"Lana," he scolded, "Do you realize how unsafe that is? Especially for a girl living on her own?"

I rolled my eyes. God, Kyoya. It's a good thing you're pretty sometimes, "Then, you can lock it when you come in."

"Oh!" And this is the part where Lana facepalms at her boyfriend's momentary lapse of intelligence, "Ok. On my way."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Click.

I changed into my pajamas and pulled my blanket over me. There was only one thing that could make today even more amazing than it already was. And just before I fell asleep, I felt that thing kiss my forehead and press his back against me. Now, it's perfect.

 **A/N: In case you haven't noticed, I love Ritsu Kasanoda with all my heart (I keep wanting to put Rin Matsuoka. They're the same person, though. I've been watching a lot of 50% off lately. Leave me alone.) and I really and truly believe he'd know every little underground secret Tokyo had to offer, including the club and the arcade and probably all of the coolest places to go. Now, I have a little something, something to tell you. A bit of news to share. I hit 200K collective views on Saturday. I made myself a cake and everything and I'm offering you all a piece. You deserve it. Why? Because I love you and you made me on this site. So, thank you. I love you. See you next chapter! xx**


	36. Back to School

This was the way my day was meant to start. A relatively sound mind, my boyfriend against my back, the sun shining in my room. The world was turning just fine and everything was good for a change. To make things even better, I felt Kyoya's lips on the back of my neck, sending chills up my spine. Who did I save in a past life to deserve this?

"Good morning, gorgeous," he spoke softly, "I know you don't want to, but we have to get up and go to school. Is that ok with you?"

"I guess," I hid a smile from him.

"Come here, my princess," Kyoya pulled me into his chest. Oh yeah. A girl can get used to this.

"Kyoya," I whined, "I don't want to go to school. Let's just stay here for the day."

"As tempting as that is," he cradled me, "I think we can manage for eight short hours. Then, we can come back and do this all we want."

"Promise?" I gave him the biggest, most sparkly eyed look I could possibly muster up with the energy I had.

"I promise," his lips grazed my forehead, "But maybe we could stay like this for a little while longer."

"I don't know," I teased, running my fingers down his chest, "Just a little while?"

"I love you, Lana," Kyoya stole a more proper good morning kiss.

"I love you, too," I laid my head on my boyfriend's chest. Yeah...Life was good.

Ring, ring!

"Ugh..." he groaned, "So much for our morning."

"Is that you or me?" I asked.

"Me," Kyoya felt around blindly behind him for his glasses and his phone, "Hello?"

"Kyoya!" a familiar voice squealed. I'm pretty sure people in the next town over could hear him, "Where are you?!"

"I'm at Lana's," he grumbled, "What do you want?"

"We're on our way!"

Click.

"Joy," Kyoya threw his phone back on the nightstand.

"What was that all about?" I wondered, nuzzling my face in his shoulder blades.

"Tamaki's a handful," he vented, "And he's way too much of a morning person for my liking."

"You'll be fine," I assured, "Your best friend is definitely a handful. I'll give you that. Although, you seem to forget you have four hands here."

"Lana," Kyoya awed, "I can't ask you to do that."

"It's Tamaki," I pointed out, "What's the worst that could happen?"

He pulled me in for an even deeper, sweeter kiss, "What did I do to deserve you?"

"I think we've been over this, Kyoya," I jabbed, "I still have our note taped in my notebook."

"What note?"

"This one," I got out of bed and dug my notebook out of my bag, "The proof that you were once human."

"You've doubted that?" Kyoya wondered.

"Once or twice," I shrugged, jumping back into bed, "See? Call me sentimental, but here it is."

"Alright," he smiled a bit, "I remember this. This was last year, right?"

"Yep," I nodded, "Call me sentimental, but that got me by when I was still in London."

"Anything I can do to help," Kyoya pressed his hand against mine, "Are you saying I've never kept any mementos of our relationship?"

"Never said that."

"I do, though," he admitted, "Everything I've ever drawn on you has gone into a sketchbook at one point or another, if I don't have an actual picture of it."

"I don't remember you ever taking pictures," I thought back.

"That's because you've been asleep for some of them..."

"Creepy," I kissed his cheek, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go make some tea."

"I'm going to use your shower," Kyoya pulled himself out of bed, "Unless you'd rather skip the tea and join me."

"Kyoya..."

"I know, I know," he started walking toward my bathroom, "I know better."

"Are you sure about that?" I giggled, making my way to the kitchen.

"About 78% sure!"

"And the other 22%?"

"You know what the other 22% is!"

I swear to God...What am I going to do with this boy? Go to school with him. Graduate with him in the next month or so. Move to New York with him. Ideally, go to college with him, but we can't get what we want, can we? We'll still be living together, though, so I guess I could make do with that.

I scoured my cabinets for some sort of tea to make. Earl grey always sounded like a good idea, but I wasn't really feeling it this morning. Maybe English breakfast? The English breakfast blend always tasted like chocolate covered cherries to me. I'm not sure why, but it did. And I loved that. I wish I would've gotten the name of that tea Misuzu had. That was magical. It tasted like a secret fairy forest, if that makes any sense. It had a very mystical quality to it.

Knock, knock.

Gee. I wonder who that could be at this time of day. I put my kettle on the stove and got the door. I didn't even have the chance to get dressed yet, but oh well. It's not like it's a surprise to them anymore.

"Lana!" the same shrill voice from the phone made my ear ring as he threw his arms around me, "Bonjour, mon cheri!"

"Senpai..." his girlfriend kept him grounded, "No. Settle down."

"Bonjour, Tamaki," I greeted him, "Comment allez-vous?"

Tamaki looked at me like I just hit him in the face with a frying pan, "Je vais bien. I didn't know you spoke French, Lana."

"A little," I blushed, "That's about the extent of my knowledge. There was a girl that lived in my dorm when I was living in London. She was from Paris. We exchanged pleasantries, but that's about it."

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" Kyoya came out of my bathroom and wrapped his arms around me.

"I have to keep you on your toes," I poked at him.

"Hey!" Hikaru and Kaoru harmonized over my kettle's loud whistle, "Lana made tea!"

"No," Haruhi corrected them, "There's a better chance that Kyoya-senpai made tea."

"No," I sprinted across my kitchen and burned my hand on the handle, "Dammit! No. I did. Kyoya was in the shower."

"See?" Hikaru defended.

"We knew what we were talking about," Kaoru seconded.

"A first time for everything, I guess," Haruhi shrugged them off, wounding their pride a bit.

I grabbed a travel cup out of my cabinet, scatterbrained to all hell, "As much as I'd love to stay here and have some, we're going to be late."

"Lana," Kyoya settled me, "You're forgetting something."

I was forgetting a lot of things. Where I kept my cups, where my tea bag went, where my honey was. The fact that I put a pop tart in the toaster. I had yet to take my breakfast this morning. My bag was on the couch in the living room. What else could I possibly have been forgetting? Oh, boy! A lovely way to start my day! Mild anxiety. The breakfast of champions...

"What, Kyoya?" I snapped at him a little, "What could I possibly be forgetting now?"

"I will make your tea for you," he took my cup from me, "You should probably get dressed. Relax, sweetheart. We have plenty of time. Earl grey? A little honey?"

"Yeah," I looked down at my bare feet and my pajama bottoms. Way to go, Lana. God, I'm an idiot...I left my boys and my best friend in my kitchen while I got my uniform out of the closet. Don't ram your head in the wall, Lana. You still have yet to patch the hole from last time. I know it's tempting, but don't do it.

Out of sheer frustration, I threw my hair up, got dressed, threw my medication down my throat, and yanked my cup out of my boyfriend's hand as the rest of us went into our usual limo. Without a single word, once we were in the back, Kyoya pulled me to his chest, holding me delicately, completely understanding my sudden bitchy mood. Fortunately, the ride to school was enough to settle me down. I damn near fell asleep in Kyoya's shoulder, but as soon as the car stopped, the brakes were enough to jolt me awake again.

"Are you going to be ok?" Kyoya worried as we stopped outside my homeroom class.

"Yeah," I nodded, "I'll be fine. Thank you, Kyoya. And I'm sorry about..."

"No need to apologize, my love," he assured, "You had a little moment of weakness. That doesn't make you weak. It makes you human."

"Are you sure I'm not a robot?" I wondered, trying to make light of a dark situation, "And I'm attracted to my own kind?"

"You taught the robot to love, Lana," Kyoya reminded me, "I know we were drinking for New Year's, but I would've thought you'd remember that much."

"I did," I giggled, "Thank you, baby. I needed that."

"I love you," he kissed the top of my head, "I'll see you in biology."

"Love you, too." And with that being said, I was ok again. Kyoya had that kind of weird superpower over me. Bless him.

On the plus side, I was about to see one of my other best friends, so I couldn't complain. Granted, I just saw Ritsu yesterday, but still. Weird...Usually he's here before I am. Running late maybe? When Ritsu finally came in, he looked like he was ready to stab a man. If someone looked at him funny, it'd be their funeral. This wasn't right. And I refused to let him stew like this.

"Hi, Ritsu," I smiled, hoping that would break the tension.

"What do you want?" he hissed at me.

Yep. Ritsu was a bit of a mess this morning, too. I took his anger with a grain of salt, "Are you ok?"

"No," he growled, "I'm pretty damn far from ok. I slept through my alarm, stubbed my toe on the dresser. My coffee pot is in shambles, so I'm running on adrenaline and spite. Someone drank the last of the apple juice. And the icing on the crap cake of this day, my hair tie snapped on the way out the door and I had no time to get another one. My hair's been in my face and it's driving me nuts."

I guess I'm not the only one. I coudln't sit and do nothing about this. When I spiraled this morning, I had Kyoya there to take care of me. Not to mention most of the host club for back up. Not that I'd need any back up when it came to Ritsu. He was a simple creature in the best way.

Fortunately for him, old habits die hard. While I was trying to break my cutting habit, I kept an extra hair tie around my wrist to snap any time things would get bad. Softer than a rubber band and no one would even think ot ask questions. In his mild fit of anger, I took advantage and got behind him.

"Lana," Ritsu jumped, "What the hell are you doing?"

"You know," I told him, sitting on the empty desk behind him, "When someone's going through a minor mental break, there are four places on the body that become very sensitive."

"Fascinating."

"Your shoulder," I approached him slowly, "Your back...Your arm...And the top of your head."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Ritsu kept his guard up. We've been friends since January. He really should know better.

"Relax," I turned his head around, pulling his hair out of his face for him, "You can have mine. That way, the day doesn't have to keep sucking. It'll only piss you off even more and I'm not dealing with that today."

"Really...?" he started to come down a little, "Thanks, Lana..."

"You're welcome," I beamed, "Consider it a thank you for yesterday."

"That was no problem," Ritsu brushed it off, "I didn't have anything to do yesterday anyway. Running around town seemed like a good idea."

"We should do that more often," I suggested, "I like hanging out with you. It's always an adventure."

"I'm sure it's that way when you're with Kyoya and the rest of the host club, too," he figured, "You can't tell me they don't drag you on adventures."

"They do," I nodded, "Last time, it was Kyoya and me in Karuizawa. The day before that, he and I went to Disneyland with Haruhi and Tamaki. I was fresh out of the hospital."

"And they took you to Disneyland?" Ritsu gasped, "Are they stupid or just that sadistic?"

"I wanted to go," I assured him, taking out my notebook, "And I might have a little bit of blackmail material from that trip that neither Tamaki or Kyoya know about."

"What?" he gave me a look, "What kind of blackmail?"

"Well," I opened the front cover where I taped the picture of my boys holding each other on Splash Mountain, "I'm pretty sure this would constitute as blackmail, but you can't tell anyone about it."

"I won't," Ritsu chuckled, "Can't handle Splash Mountain?"

"Yeah," I laughed with him, "Haruhi and I were real impressed."

"I honestly don't know what she sees in him," he scoffed, "He's not very bright. If he didn't have Haruhi or Kyoya there, I'm sure his head would fall off."

"You're too hard on him," I defended, "Sure, Tamaki can be a little ditzy, but he's a lot smarter than you give him credit for."

"I'm sure he is," Ritsu didn't believe me, but to each their own, I guess. Hold on...I've seen something like this before. When Haruhi and I went to the flea market.

"Ritsu..." I asked, "Are you jealous of Tamaki?"

"No!"

"Ok!" I see I hit a sensitive subject, "Just asking."

That boy was lying through his teeth. The day Haruhi and I went to the flea market was the day Tamaki's phone ended up in the bushes. Kyoya could say he was pissed all he wanted to, but Tamaki hit the nail on the head. Kyoya was jealous that Tamaki got so close to me. Ritsu got the same kind of defensive.

Before we knew it, the bell had rung and the day progressed. Class after class. The next one going by faster than the last. I sat in one of the rose gardens for lunch by myself, perfectly content with the world. It sucked that I didn't have the same lunch period as my friends, but some solitude every once in a while was nice, too. And even better, I knew that as soon as lunch was over, I had one of my favorite classes of the day. Biology.

I took my usual seat in the back, making sure to leave one behind me. Not a word had to be said between us. We said all that needed to be said in our looks alone. I could see it in his eyes. How are you, Lana? I missed you. I've been sitting in the back of every class, gazing aimlessly out the window. I already know what's being taught, so why bother paying attention? Or was that just me? Was I just being sappy and poetic? No. I doubt it.

 _Toss._

A folded piece of paper found its way onto my desk. Wherever could this have come from?

 _Hi, gorgeous._

I love him. Kyoya didn't even have to say anything and he could manage to make me blush. I loved this, though. He had his phone with him. I had my phone with me. We could be texting each other like civilized human beings. Yet here we were, writing notes to each other like cavemen. But this was concrete. And I loved it.

 _Hi there._

I doodled a couple hearts on our note and threw it back behind me. It's amazing our teacher never caught on to this. With some of the things I've talked about with Kyoya in written form, I'm thankful. Some of those things never needed to come to light.

 _Toss._

 _What did you do yesterday? You were sleeping when I got to your house last night._

I should've seen this coming. But I had a contingency plan.

 _You're not asking out of jealousy, are you?_

 _Toss._

 _Toss._

 _No. Just curious._

I turned around and looked Kyoya over. Paranoia sucked, but I believed him.

 _We just hung out. Saw a show in Shimokitazawa. It was a lot of fun._

 _Toss._

He didn't need to know about my slight otaku core. And I wasn't sure how ok Ritsu would be if I were to say anything about it. We weren't exactly looked on very favorably. I used it to cope. I don't know about everyone else, but it was nice to lose myself in the fictional worlds I loved so much every now and then.

 _Toss._

 _Sounds like it. Are you still coming to the host club after school?_

A little frown made its way onto my face.

 _I have that follow up appointment with Yuuichi._

 _Toss._

 _Toss._

 _You could always go to that after the host club closes. Yuuichi never gave you a specific time._

And my smile was back. I giggled to myself, rolling my eyes at my boyfriend.

 _Of course I'll be there. Where else do I have to be?_

Have I ever mentioned that boy was going to be the death of me? Because he will be. But I loved him nonetheless. And once the bell rang, I'd miss him terribly. I got a quick kiss on the forehead and went off to my other classes. I didn't care much for my algebra class. I could nap in that one just as easy as I could biology, but in algebra, I didn't have Kyoya to keep me awake. I just wanted to get to the host club. Algebra, literature, host club.

I got through them both just fine and made a beeline to the music room. However, there was some guy standing outside the door. Weird. I don't think I've seen him around before. Pretty sure I'd remember someone in a cloak. It broke my heart a little to see that no matter how hard he tried, no one would stop and give him the time of day. I stopped at the door.

"Hello there…" he greeted me, "Could I interest you in joining the black magic club…?"

"Sorry," I bit my tongue, "Not really my thing."

"Hold on," he stopped me, "You give a much different energy than the others. You're not the usual clientele of the host club."

"I'm here every day, though," I told him.

"That's not what I meant, my dear," the guy reached for my hand, "May I?"

"Knock yourself out," I allowed, giving him my hand. I expected his to be cold, yet they were oddly warm.

"Mmm…" he hummed, "You aren't the common host club guest, are you? All of the others give a very superficial energy. You…You seem much more pure of heart."

"Really?" Who the hell was this guy? Was he some kind of psychic? Then again, he was pimping for the black magic club.

"I've heard about you," he smiled, "Kyoya Ootori's girlfriend. At one time, that news was nearly taboo. To think someone was actually with a host."

"That's right," I smiled, "That's amazing."

"You know, dear," he went on, "Love potions are a simple spell. Are you sure you won't join the black magic club?"

"I'm sure," I nodded, "I don't need magic to keep Kyoya. He's not going anywhere."

"To each their own, then," he let me go, "If you ever change your mind, don't hesitate."

"I won't," I pushed the music room doors open and the boys were still setting up, "Hey, guys? There's someone outside pedaling the wares of the black magic club."

"That's Nekozawa-senpai," Kyoya filled me in, his black book in hand, "He's harmless. He didn't approach you, did he?"

"He did," I took a seat, "But he only asked me if I wanted to join the black magic club and that's it. But he knew I was a special guest of the host club."

"Tama-chan!" a sweet, little voice chimed from a big pair of shoulders, "We're back!"

"Welcome back, Honey-senpai," Kyoya greeted them, "And to you as well, Mori-senpai."

"Lana-chan!" Honey squealed, jumping into my arms, "I missed you!"

"I missed you, too, Honey," I squeezed him tight.

"Well then," Kyoya thought, "Since we're all here, Tamaki, shall we open?"

"Yes!" Tamaki chirped, "Hikaru, Kaoru, open the doors."

"Yes, sir!"

 **A/N: This has been a long ass chapter. I've been wanting to introduce Lana to Nekozawa for the longest time. Nekozawa is underappreciated, if you ask me. Also, I have a feeling he gives really killer hugs, but because he's kind of a weirdo, people don't pay him much attention. Speaking of people I love that are underappreciated…Kasanoda. Kasanoda in this chapter makes me weirdly happy and I don't know why. Other than that, I don't have much to say this week, guys. All that aside, see you next chapter! xx**


	37. Fire and Ice

**A/N: Hi, guys! Real quick before we start, this is going to be a doozy of a chapter. But in the best way, I promise.**

Nowhere better than the host club after hours. Just my best friend, my boys, and me. All was the way it should be. Even with Honey and Mori here. I'm so glad they still hang around the host club. I wish Kyoya and I could do that after we graduate, but we'll be in a different country. And I really couldn't wait.

"So, guys," Haruhi asked, "What did you do over break?"

"I sprained my ankle," Hikaru stretched his leg out, showing off the ace bandage wrapped around his foot.

"What happened?" I turned into the worried mom friend.

"We went skiing in the Alps," Kaoru spun the tale, "Someone thought he could go on black diamond slopes. Someone thought he'd show off. Where did that land you again, Hikaru?"

"Yeah, yeah," Hikaru grumbled, "I get it. You didn't give me enough crap at the hospital?"

"You nearly gave Mom a heart attack!" Kaoru scolded his brother, "You were too looped up on painkillers to make that phone call! I had to be the one to take that bullet!"

"Poor Yuzuha," I empathized, "How does it feel now, Hikaru?"

"I'm still walking, aren't I?" Hikaru seemed to be in high spirits, "I'm alright now."

"Good," I smiled, "Other than your ankle mishap?"

"It was a great trip," Kaoru reported, "You should see it, Lana. Switzerland is a very pretty country."

"You want a pretty country?" Honey chimed in, "You should've been in Dubai with us, Lana-chan!"

"How was Dubai, honey?" I asked.

"Amazing!" he sang.

"Mitsukuni..." Mori gave him a look, "You don't remember much of Dubai, do you?"

"What do you mean, Takashi?" Honey wondered, "Of course I do. I was there."

"No, you don't," Mori assured, "Do you not remember the back alley of that marketplace?"

"What back alley?"

"What happened, Mori-senpai?" Haruhi was just as curious as the rest of us.

"You're lucky to be alive," Mori began, "You thought you found a bakery, but you got lost and ended up in an opium den. When I found you again, you were hardly coherent."

"Wait a second," Hikaru stopped him.

"Honey-senpai was high?" Kaoru gasped.

"And we missed it?" the twins whined together.

"I was...?" Honey's eyes started welling up.

"You slept it off," Mori went on, "But you must have suppressed the crash."

"I don't remember any of that," Honey thought.

"But you're ok now, Honey," I pulled him into my lap, offering what little comfort I could, "And that's all that matters."

"I guess that's good," he laid his head on my shoulder. I think it's time for little hosts to take their regularly scheduled afternoon nap, "What about you, Haru-chan? What did you do over break?"

"I'm glad you asked, Honey-senpai," Tamaki answered for her, "Our trip was a beautiful thing."

"You tried to get me to sign a marriage certificate, Senpai," Haruhi chastised.

"Excuse me?" my heart stopped. Those two got married, yet I was asking her about how to deal with Ranka?

"He took advantage of my ignorance," she glared at her boyfriend, "I don't know much for French, so someone thought it'd be a good idea to get me to sign a marriage certificate. You said it was a sales receipt."

"I said I was sorry," Tamaki defended, "We were in Paris! I thought it was romantic."

"Nothing says romance like tricking someone into lifelong commitment," Haruhi grumbled, "I don't know why I'm forgiving you, but I do."

"Because you love me," Tamaki squeezed her tight, "Right, Haruhi...?"

"Debatable," she may have wanted to kill him most of the time, but deep down, I'm almost sure there's something in Haruhi that still loves Tamaki. Despite his shenanigans, "What about you, Lana? Did everything with my dad work out?"

"Eventually," I nodded.

"Ranka is an overbearing creature," Kyoya agreed, "But he means well."

"Where did you two go?" Hikaru and Kaoru asked.

"Like you don't know," I scoffed, "I saw you all on my Twitter feed. I could've tweeted that I sneezed and you'd all have likes and retweets on it."

"Then stop having an interesting Twitter feed."'

Ring, ring!

"Hush," I shoved my finger in their faces as my phone buzzed on my lap. A picture I didn't remember taking from New Year's brightened my screen. And my day, "Hello?"

"Hi there, sweetheart!" my sister's husky voice took a brighter tone.

"Hey, Rhi," I spoke softly as to not spook the fragile ecosystem of the host club.

"Hi, Rhiannon!" But no such luck.

"Good!" Rhiannon sang, "You're not by yourself."

"What's up?" I put her on speaker, "And behave yourself. Everyone can hear you."

"I have some wonderful news," she announced, "Elliot, you know him, you love him."

"Yeah..."

"He left me."

"Excuse me?" I thought I was going to throw up. There's no way that's the good news. Elliot is too much of a good dude to up and leave Rhiannon like that and she was in too high of spirits. Kyoya steadied my shaking hands.

"Yeah," Rhiannon went on, "He's on his way back to London to take care of some stuff. He's going to be gone for a month or so. But!"

"Thank God," I sighed out, "There's a but."

"Are you kidding?" she giggled, "Elliot's not leaving me forever. You know, he did the sweetest thing the other day."

"Do tell, Rhi."

"My jeans weren't fitting," Rhiannon told, "And my hormones are freakin' ridiculous. When I got home from work, my feet were killing me and I was tired as balls. Elliot got me a big container of chicken alfredo and the Notebook. Isn't he the sweetest?"

"What a peach." Exactly as I told him, "But? You said there was a but."

"But," she got a little more excited, "In that month, I'm going to be gone, too. Maka's going to stay with Uncle Carlos for a while."

"Where are you going?" I wondered.

"I got a call from Yoshi a week ago," I could hear a smile in Rhiannon's voice, "Guess who he misses?"

"You?"

"Me!"

"Does this mean you're coming back to Japan, Rhi-chan?" Honey asked, his eyes full of sparkle.

"That's right, sweetie," Rhiannon squealed, "I'm coming back to Tokyo! Yay!"

"Awesome!" I beamed, "When?"

"I'm actually on my way to the airport now," I could hear her apartment door shut in the background and the jingle of Maka's leash in her hand, "I have to drop Maka off with Carlos and then, I'll get on my flight. I should be on your doorstep in a couple days. That is ok with you, isn't it?"

"Of course it is!" I assured, "Like I'm going to turn you away, Rhiannon. We live in two different countries and you're my favorite person in the world. No offense, Kyoya."

"None taken," Kyoya let it slide, "I understand."

"Sorry, Kyoya," Rhiannon apologized, "If it makes you feel any better, I'll name the baby after you."

"Don't," he shot her down, "You don't have to do that."

"Awesome," she heaved a sigh of relief, "I think Elliot would probably kill me. As much as it's been a delight talking to all of you, I have to go."

"Go ahead, Rhi," I allowed, "I'll see you when you get here."

"Sure will, sweetie."

"Love you!"

"Love you, too!"

Click.

"Well!" I chirped, "That's a pleasant surprise. I didn't think Rhiannon would be ok to fly still."

"Why not?" the twins gave me a look.

"Did you not hear what she said?" Kyoya asked, "She threatened to name her baby after me."

"I thought that was a joke!" Hikaru gasped.

"Me, too!" Kaoru agreed, "Rhiannon's pregnant?"

"About four months," I did the math in my head, "So, when she gets here and she's a bit on the large side, don't say anything. She's kind of sensitive about her weight. And there's no telling what'll set her off these days."

"Got it!"

"Wonderful," I put Honey back on the floor and got up, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I got a date."

"A date?" Tamaki's ears perked up, "Does that mean you're going, too, Kyoya?"

"No," Kyoya gave me a quick kiss, "She's a big girl. Lana can go on dates by herself."

"Are you giving polyamory a shot?" Hikaru asked.

"No."

"Does it make it any better that the date is with his older brother?" I wondered, "And that his older brother is married?"

"What?!" I thought Tamaki was going to have a coronary.

"Lana," Haruhi worried, "Are you ok?"

"Looks like we've found Lana's kink," the twins added.

"What's a kink?" Honey asked.

"Settle down, everyone," I rolled my eyes, "I have doctor's appointment and Yuuichi's my doctor. I didn't realize it'd make you guys freak that much that I'd call it a date."

"Oh," Tamaki collapsed into Haruhi's lap, "Don't scare me like that, Lana!"

"Sorry," I grabbed my bag and one last kiss from Kyoya, "I love you."

"Love you, too," Kyoya reciprocated the sentiment, "Am I coming over tonight?"

"We'll see." And just like that, I left my friends behind to see my doctor. It made things easier to call appointments with Yuuichi dates instead of appointments. They never felt like going to see my doctor. And that's why he was my doctor. When I got to his office, I overheard Yuuichi talking with another man. Another patient, maybe?

"And you've been checking on Kyoya as well?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," Yuuichi said, "He seems to be in a good place."

Walk away, Lana. You know you probably shouldn't be listening...But curiosity gets the best of me.

"Something about him seems different," the other man thought, "He's not as focused. And he's being secretive. I asked him what hospital he wanted to do his residency at and he wouldn't give me a straight answer. He said he was shopping around. And did you know he took two flights to London within the span of three weeks out of the blue? Kyoya rarely travels spontaneously like that. There's something off."

"I'll look into it," Yuuichi promised, "I have a patient coming soon."

"We can't have him going back into the hospital, Yuuichi," he demanded, "Do you know what kind of PR nightmare that would be if that were to leak into the public?"

I heard footsteps toward the door and immediately, I sat down in the chairs outside Yuuichi's office. The man came out, his eyes darting toward me. This guy could probably kill a man with a mere glance. I twiddled my thumbs, tapped my foot, and did everything in my power to not go into panic mode. Everything's fine, Lana. Forget everything you just heard. Focus on a spot on the wall. Keep rhythm in your thumbs. Everything's fine...

Once the man turned the corner, I had brought myself down enough to go into Yuuichi's office. I found him with his head in his hands and his elbows on his desk. Poor thing looked exhausted, "I can come back if this is a bad time."

"Lana," Yuuichi's face lit up again, "No. You couldn't have come at a better time."

"Is it me," I wondered, "or did it just drop ten degrees in here?"

"He has that effect on people," he pulled himself together, "He's a great man, though. He really is."

"Is he a patient of yours?" I asked, pulling up a chair.

"He's my father," Yuuichi clarified.

"Oh…" If his demeanor didn't nearly through me into a panic attack, that little fact would.

"It's alright, Lana," he took my hand, "It's just you and me now."

"Ok," I came down before I could spiral. That's nice.

"By the way," Yuuichi smirked, very reminiscent of his younger brother, "I got something in the mail the other day."

"Did you?" That brought a smile to my face, "And what's that?"

He opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a postcard, tossing it on the desktop, "I missed you, too…"

"You told me you'd be disappointed," I giggled.

"My wife thought I was cheating on her," Yuuichi mirrored me, "We were at home and she came in my office all pissed. She started asking me questions about some girl I had in Karuizawa. Of course, I had no clue who she was talking about until she said Lana. I honestly didn't think you'd do it."

"Of course I did."

"So?" he asked, "You doing ok?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I'm fine."

"Any breakdowns in Karuizawa?"

I debated whether or not to tell Yuuichi about my reoccurring dreams of his younger brother proposing to me. No. Those are something for me to keep to myself. Besides, I'm sure Kyoya could think of a much better way to propose to me than the visions in my head, "None. It was a good trip."

"Lana," Yuuichi took a more serious tone, "You do know I'm going to be fact checking this, right?"

"I kind of figured," I grumbled a bit, "But there's no need to. I promise. Overall, it was a good trip. I didn't have any incidents. Everything's fine."

My doctor looked me over once more, "Alright. Go on then."

"That's it?" I wondered, completely underwhelmed.

"You'd know better than me," Yuuichi pointed out, "I trust you to tell me when things are good and when they're not. If you say you're good and you feel good, you're good."

"Oh," I shrugged, picking my bag up from the floor, "Ok. When do you want to see me next?"

"Let's see," he thumbed through his appointment book, "How about a couple weeks before graduation?"

"I can do that," I got up, "I'll see you later, Yuuichi."

"See you."

I left Yuuichi's office with a strange weight off my shoulders. I did feel oddly good. Don't get me wrong. The dread hanging over my head was still there. Just a little higher over my head than usual. I took a walk to clear my head all the way back home. My mailbox had been pushed slightly open. Looks like the mail's gone through. Without thinking about it, I grabbed the bigger envelope and went inside. Home sweet home.

I tossed the mail on the kitchen table and turned my kettle on. Today's been a long day and all I wanted was a cup of tea and to read my mail. However, the big envelope threw me for a loop…and my stomach in a knot. I sent an essay to Columbia University back in November to keep my options open if NYU fell through. This was a longshot anyway. Why the hell would they be sending me anything?

It's probably just another rejection letter. Just like NYU. Only NYU didn't have near the acceptance rate Columbia had. Getting into Columbia was nearly impossible. Ivy league usually worked that way. Slowly, I ran my finger under the seal and tore the envelope open. I don't know why I even bothered sending something here. You can do this, Lana. You got nothing to lose. I shimmied the letter out of the envelope and started skimming it.

No…

No…freakin'…way…

I was t-minus ten seconds away from a massive breakdown, so naturally, I did the only thing I could think of in my few moments of lucidity. I called Kyoya.

"Hello?"

"Kyoya," my voice broke. Dammit…No. Not yet, "Will you come over?"

"I can be there in five minutes, if that," Kyoya promised, "Are you ok?"

"I'm not sure." One tear trickled out of my eye, "I need my rock. And I need it now."

"Is your door unlocked?" he asked, sounding a bit out of breath.

"Yeah."

"Lana," Kyoya hung up and opened my door, taking me into his arms, "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"Nothing," I bawled into his shoulder, "Absolutely nothing."

"Then, why all the tears?" he sat me down on my couch, wiping my eyes.

"I…" I couldn't get myself to calm down enough to form a comprehensible sentence.

"Lana," Kyoya held me tighter, "You have to relax and talk to me. What's going on?"

Finally, I got myself to stop crying long enough to tell him the news, "Kyoya, I got accepted to Columbia…And they're giving me a full ride…"

 **A/N: And we're going to leave it there. Why? Because it's called a seed for next week. I'm so happy for this little angel. It's about time Lana's getting a win. And we're going to go into it a little more in depth next week. But not only is she getting into Columbia, but Rhiannon's coming back to Tokyo! Yay! Also, we had an introduction of Kyoya's dad, who, according to Lana, makes it a little chilly in the room. This chapter made me so happy. I'm so proud of her. Good for you, Lana. You go, Lana. And I'm going to go, too. See you next chapter! xx**


	38. Good Vibes for a Change

"Excuse me, you what?" Kyoya gasped, still in shock over the good news. I still couldn't believe it myself. Only a week ago, I threw myself into a panic attack bad enough to land me in the hospital. And all because of NYU's rejection letter. Now? Columbia? An ivy league school I wasn't holding much stock in wants me?

"Columbia," I confirmed, my voice still a bit shaky, "I got accepted into Columbia on a full ride."

"Lana," he hugged me tight, "Congratulations."

"I'm so happy," I could feel my tears of pure joy bubbling back up, "Kyoya, do you realize what this means?"

"What, sweetheart?"

"The NYU campus is only thirty minutes away," I laid my head in my boyfriend's shoulder, "We can still live together. We can still have our New York life. Just the way it should be."

"And I look forward to it," Kyoya kissed the top of my head, "Do you know why they picked you, Lana?"

"They said my story was inspiring," I explained, "I don't see it, but yay. It got me my acceptance! And they said my grades were exceptional for someone in my position."

"You don't see how you're inspirational?" he scoffed with a little smirk on his face, "Lana, day in and day out, you wake up a victim of your own mind. It holds you prisoner and forces you into submission. However, with the help of your support system, you push back harder than it could ever push you. And now, it's landed you in one of the best schools in the world. I'm so proud of you. Once we move to New York, I have a feeling that things are going to get even better for you. For both of us."

The conversation Yuuichi was having with their father popped into his mind. Now, I see why he wants Kyoya watched closely. I'm not the only one pushing back on my demons. Between Kyoya's brief soliloquy and what his father said, things are making a little more sense. If something like this wasn't normal for Kyoya, it got me thinking...If his dad was freaking out about him taking spontaneous trips to London (obviously to see me) that were entirely out of the ordinary for him, was I his push?

"I guess I can see it," I curled into him, "Kyoya, I'm so happy..."

"I'm sorry you didn't get the fanfare of the host club like I did," Kyoya teased, "I'm sure they're going to be thrilled to hear about this, too."

There was something I was mildly dreading. Since day one, I knew the host club were a little...rough around the edges, so to speak. I'm honestly shocked they handled the news of me being in the hospital as well as they did. Then again, I didn't see how the host club went that day. Something tells me there was a bit of pandemonium. But they didn't handle delicate things very delicately. Bulls in a china shop. They did have built in stabilizers, though.

"You know," I thought it over, "Maybe we should keep this our little secret for now. Tell everyone at graduation."

"Alright," Kyoya agreed, "We can do that. Although, if you don't have the host club's fanfare, do you think we could still do a little bit of celebrating? I mean, you did get into an ivy league college today, koibito. And on scholarship, no less."

"Fine," I allowed, "Sounds like a good idea. Where do you want to go?"

"Hungry?"

"Definitely," I squeaked, "I don't think I've eaten much today, if at all."

"Lana," Kyoya scolded, "What have I told you about that?"

"I know, I know," I hated myself for even saying anything about it, "I just don't think about it."

"You need to think about it a little more," he grabbed my cardigan for me, "Come on. I know where we can go."

Kyoya and I locked my apartment up and the two of us rode off into the setting sun a few miles east. I didn't want anything too terribly big and I'm sure Kyoya knew that. Gorging myself when I hadn't eaten much wasn't pleasant. They tried doing that to me in the hospital once and I only threw it all back up. But I could handle a little at a time. Just something to prime my stomach for food again.

We pulled into a familiar circular driveway attached to a house bigger than my life goals. I know I've been here a million times already, but this time, it was different. After overhearing Kyoya's father's worries, I had a feeling I had something to do with that. Something tells me he'd see me as nothing but the little succubus that corrupted his son and gave him a little bit of hope. My skin turned to ice, yet burned at the same time.

"Uh, Kyoya," I quivered, "I thought you said we were celebrating. Moving a little fast, don't you think?"

"Relax, Lana," he settled me, "My parents are out of town on business again. It's only the house staff and me home. Unless my sister decides to stop by, but the likelihood of that right now is slim. I thought our celebration could include a sleepover."

"Yes, please," I relaxed almost instantly, "You know what I want for us right now? More than anything in the world?"

"For graduation to get here faster and for us to have our place in New York already?"

"Other than that," I giggled as Kyoya got the door for me.

"What's that, Lana?"

"It's just you and me tonight," I reminded him, "No worrying about your parents or my parents or the pains in the ass we call our friends. You think we could order some ramen? Turn on the Little Mermaid? Clock out in the theater again?"

"That sounds perfect," Kyoya approved, "I'll go make the call. You know where the theater room is. Go on."

I ran up the stairs and took the third hall on the right into a cool, dark room that was perfect for both naps and coming down all the same. Or when my sister decides to get us all drunk and she passes out. I still couldn't look at the chandelier in the entryway without thinking of Haruhi's underwear hanging from it. It didn't look right without them. The theater had some upgrades since the last time I was in here, though. The seats were bigger and a lot more comfortable. I told him he didn't have to get new chairs in here...

I got the tablet that controlled the screen from the projection booth and made myself comfortable. Let's see...The movie list was alphabetical. And it's a good thing, too. Half the movies in the system I had never heard of. Then again, I didn't usually familiarize myself with Japanese cinema. Maybe I should start. Just not now. I came into this a woman on a mission. I needed the L section. But even then, the list seemed even longer. After what felt like an eternity, I found exactly what I was looking for. And in the nick of time, too.

"Hi there," Kyoya stole a quick kiss from me, "Our ramen's on the way."

"Awesome," I pulled him into my seat.

And that was our night. Perfect ramen. Perfect movie. Perfect boyfriend that was occasionally feeding me. Everything was going my way for a change. I knew I shouldn't get used to it, but I really wanted to. Even when I'd catch myself singing along, I'd shut myself up immediately. But out of the corner of my eye, I'd see Kyoya smiling a bit. Life was good.

When I woke up the next morning, I ended up in Kyoya's bed. With no Kyoya. What the hell? I must have fallen asleep in the theater last night. It's not the first time Kyoya's ever carried me to bed and it probably won't be the last. But this is the first time I've fallen asleep with him and woken up by myself. Where the hell did he go? And his house was a labyrinth! Finding him would be a task in itself and it was too damn early for me to deal with this.

Ring, ring!

Seven o'clock on the dot. I didn't set my alarm. I had Kyoya's alarm and we were going to the same place. My hand hit the nightstand as I patted around for my phone. Huh. Speak of the devil, "Hey, baby."

"Good morning, gorgeous," Kyoya's voice melted me.

"Any particular reason you're calling me?" I wondered, "I'm assuming you're still here."

"I am," he confirmed, "I'm downstairs. I want you to hurry up and get ready. We're going to leave a little early today, if that's ok with you."

"That's fine," I pulled myself out of bed, noticing a new addition to the tattoo on my arm. Oh, Kyoya...How you outdo yourself, "By the way...Why is there a fairy sitting on my sakura blossoms?"

"I doodled this morning," Kyoya giggled a little, "Sue me."

"Seriously?" I rolled my eyes, "You could probably countersue so hard, my great grandchildren will be able to feel it."

"You make me sound so heartless," he jabbed, "Hurry up, though. I want to get there before we have to go to school."

"Ok," I kissed my phone speaker, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Click.

"Good morning, Miss Smith!" Rose came in with a bright and cheerful disposition. Also with my uniform in her hand.

"Good morning, Rose," I rubbed my eyes, "Let me guess. Kyoya?"

"You know me all too well, Miss," she beamed, "Shall we then?"

"Ok," I had gotten used to Rose's antics when I had Megumi in the hospital. And Rhiannon since I sprang from the womb. In all honesty, I kind of liked it. Deep down, it wasn't nearly as anxiety triggering as what it used to be. I remembered the days when the thought of anyone touching my face made me want to bite them. Unless it was Rhiannon. Rhiannon, I trusted. I knew Rhiannon would never do anything stupid.

And when Rose and I were done together, I always came out looking like a china doll, so I couldn't really complain. I skipped down the stairs to find Kyoya already waiting in the car for me. I had yet to see him today, so it was nice to be able to throw myself into his arms, "Good morning to you, too."

"Sorry," I smiled, "Didn't mean to shoulder check you like that."

"Worth it," he cradled me, "Any idea where we're going this morning?"

"I'm assuming my house first," I hoped, "You didn't grab my medication, did you?"

"I don't think Rose did," Kyoya shrugged, "Did she give them to you this morning?"

"No," I shook my head, "We stop by my place first, then we go wherever."

"It's a good thing they're not far from each other."

As soon as I had breakfast down my throat, Kyoya took me to my surprise. The cute cafe I called my second home. If I didn't want to go home yet, this was always my favorite place to be. My red bean paste mochi with the little faces on it. My jasmine tea. Kyoya knew me better than I knew myself. And this was the best way I could think of to start my day. This was nice.

"I thought we could do breakfast here," Kyoya suggested, "I would've taken you to Harajuku for crepes, but that's too far and you don't need that kind of sensory overload right away in the morning."

"Actually," my feet swung under the table, "I like going to Harajuku. I haven't been there since Haruhi and I went last, but we need to go back."

"What are you doing tomorrow?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," I thought it over, "There's a good chance I'll be hanging out with my sister if she's not working at Yoshi's shop."

"Rhiannon should be coming in today, shouldn't she?" Kyoya figured.

"Yeah," I nodded as the growl of a motorcycle pulled up to the café. I know who that is! And the front door's bell chimed, "Ritsu!"

"Hey, Lana," Ritsu caught sight of Kyoya sitting in front of me and started to make a beeline for the counter to order his extra dark roast with three shots of espresso.

"Come sit with us," I insisted, "Please?"

"You sure?" he worried, "It's ok?"

"Yes," Kyoya approved, "You're more than welcome, Kasanoda. I'm not going to stop you."

"I thought we were past this," I groaned.

"We are!" Ritsu got defensive, "At least I know I am."

"As am I," Kyoya glared through him. Awesome. Square one.

"Kyoya," I rolled my eyes, clarifying things once and for all, "Ritsu wouldn't do anything to put me in harm's way and he's not trying to get in my pants. I love you both in entirely different ways. I see Ritsu the same way I do Tamaki. Can we wrap our heads around that?"

"But…"

"I get that you worry about me," I shut him up with a kiss, "I can occasionally take care of myself, though. You know that, right?"

And just like that, I got Kyoya to smile. It was genuine, "And you ask me why you're inspiring…"

"What?" Ritsu wondered, "Your girlfriend just chewed your ass out and you say something like that?"

"Yeah!" I squeaked, "I have some really good news! And you'll be the only one outside of Kyoya and me to know about this, so feel special."

"Already do," he listened intently, "What's up?"

"Remember when I told you about applying for NYU?" I began.

"And you didn't get in," Ritsu nodded, "That's what threw you in the hospital."

"Yeah," I went on, "But do you remember where else I applied?"

"Syracuse," he thought back, "Parsons School of Design, and Columbia just for laughs."

"Guess who got accepted just for laughs?" I grinned.

"That's great, Lana!" Ritsu threw his arms around me, "Congratulations. New York sounds pretty cool."

"That's why we're moving there," Kyoya put his two cents in.

"Kyoya," I scolded, "Play nice."

"Sorry…"

The three of us finished up at the café and headed straight to Ouran. School hardly seemed to take up any time anymore. Maybe because with every passing day, I'm closer to leaving Japan again. But I'll still feel like I'm home. Sure, I'm going to miss my favorite lovable band of morons and their secret princess, but I'll still have a piece of it. Something tells me Kyoya's not going anywhere for a while. I just hope he doesn't wise up when we're in New York and finds someone better suited for him.

Lana, no. You've been yelled at for that before. You know if Kyoya was in your head, you'd be getting a swat on the nose with a newspaper. He's not with anyone else. He's with you. He makes sure to remind you of that once in a while. If he didn't want to be with you, he wouldn't have been a little bundle of sass with Ritsu this morning. Now, go to the music room and go be with him and your friends that love you very much. Ok, inner monologue.

When I got to the music room, girls were already lined up outside. The host club didn't open for another thirty minutes. I'm surprised they didn't have tents pitched out there like it's Coachella. Or San Diego Comic Con. Regardless, it looked like someone threw up a lot of glitter in here…Like the Electric Daisy Carnival. But something about the music room held a very mystical quality. Like a fairy's garden.

"Lana!" a pair of voices chimed, sandwiching me in a hug, "We missed you!"

"I was in here yesterday," I reminded them. But then, I got a good look at my favorite pair of twins already in costume, "Fairies, boys?"

"Yep!"

"It was Tamaki-senpai's idea," Hikaru told me.

"The whole host club is going fantasy today," Kaoru added, sharing a mischievous glance with his brother. And the reciprocated glint always made me nervous, "You know, Lana…"

"Since you've been an honorary host before…"

"You should be one again!" the twins squealed.

"It's not like…"

"…You wouldn't fit in with the theme."

"That's a great idea!" I agreed, "I'll be a mermaid again. Do I still get my little pool? Is my costume still in the dressing room?"

"Yep!"

"Awesome!" I was still jazzed from my Columbia letter and from the day in general. Everything was going so nicely for me and I was cautiously waiting for my costume to rip while I was changing, but nothing. Everything was perfectly fine. I still had yet to see Kyoya, so this was all happening whether he wanted it to or not. Regardless, I happened to stumble upon the host club's wig collection and I grabbed one in a light pink. Hot damn, Lana. I think I might have found my next color. Rhiannon did say she'd introduce me to her colorist…Day one in New York? Maybe…

I finished getting dressed and reassumed my position in the little pool. It was enough to make Kyoya (who made a really beautiful elf, if I do say so myself) do a double take as he walked by, "Lana, when did you get here?"

"A few minutes ago," I splashed my tail idly in the water, "Why?"

"Who said you were hosting today?" he wondered.

"I did," I wasn't going to throw Hikaru and Kaoru under the bus like that. Kyoya could probably make them "disappear" for a little while and they'd come back black and blue, "I'm almost positive Tamaki wouldn't have a problem with it. And neither would you."

Kyoya thought for a minute. But then, he sat on the rock at the edge of my pool and kissed my cheek, "You're so lucky I love you."

"Especially when I'm a mermaid," I kissed him back, "I love you, too, baby."

"Lana!" Tamaki, rightfully dressed as an elven king, squealed, getting an eyeful, "You're so cute! I didn't know you were going to host today!"

"That's alright with you, isn't it?" I asked, batting my eyelashes.

"Of course!" he assured, "Anytime you want to host, our numbers go up!"

"Really?"

"He's right," Kyoya let out a sigh of defeat, "You do bring in a few more bodies."

"Wonderful!" I beamed, "We should probably open up for the day then, yeah?"

"Yeah," Tamaki nodded, "Hikaru, Kaoru, open the doors!"

"Yes, boss!"

The Ouran Host Club was open for business!

As was I. I didn't understand why I was so popular at the host club. The popular consensus was that I was easy to talk to. Also, a bit of a shock. They said it was like having a girl friend to talk to. Apparently, I had the same allure as Haruhi (she was a fairy, too). I'm surprised Tamaki never thought to pair us up like the twins or like Honey and Mori (who were respectively a gnome and a centaur today). Then again, that would take away from his time with her. Not to mention, the host club wasn't hurting at all for clients.

However, before too long, the host club was coming to a close as some of the last guests had finally left. And it was just the family again. This was home to me and I never wanted this feeling to go away. Although, I knew it'd be ending shortly. Once everything was broken down and the costumes were put away, the host club would be done. A part of me really wanted to steal this pink wig, though. When the last one walked out the door, one more walked in.

"What's up, sluts?" a familiar husky voice echoed through the music room, "Guess who just got off her flight? And needs to sit down because her back is killing her?"

 **A/N: Yay! Guess who? And if you caught the 50% Off reference in the end, you're awesome and I love you. I even had the word Thugisa written in my notes. Why? Because I'm sick, ok? Leave me alone. Now, we have some things to discuss with this chapter. First of all, Kyoya's little speech in the beginning made me weep writing it. I needed to hear something like that today. Anyone else feel like it's been one of those days for a good, solid month? Because…me. At least there's been some good here. So, we have that going for us. Anyway, I have a Yuri on Ice chapter to outline for tomorrow and that's kind of like what went down in the host club here. That's a fantasy-ish story, too. It's more like a fairy tale, though. Regardless, I'll see you next chapter. xx**


	39. Old Friends, New Friends

"Welcome back, Rhiannon," Kyoya greeted her, "If you're looking for Lana, she's the mermaid laying in the pool."

"I was wondering what the hell you were doing," my sister took a seat on one of my rocks, "What's this all about?"

"The host club went fantasy today," I filled her in, laying my head on her shoulder, "And I got to host again."

"Look at you, Lana," Rhiannon awed, "Making friends, hosting...My little girl's growing up so fast."

Uh-oh...Tears started welling up in her eyes. We had seconds before she was a blubbering mess from what Elliot's told me. I needed to change the subject pronto, "So, Rhi, how have you been?"

"I can't believe you're pregnant," Hikaru sat on my rocks with his brother shortly behind him.

"Yeah," Kaoru agreed, "You don't even look pregnant."

"Thank you, sweetie." The twins knew how to make a woman feel good about herself. No matter what. The woman whisperers, "You're...Kaoru, right?"

"That's right," he nodded.

"And to answer your question, dear sister," Rhiannon went on, "I hurt. I'm always tired. I can't drink caffeine. I pee like a racehorse. And it's all because of the little bean."

"That's oversharing, Rhi," I cringed.

"You asked," she retaliated, "But enough about me. What about you? Are you and Kyoya engaged yet?"

"Jesus, Rhiannon!" my grip on Kyoya's hand tightened, "A bit on the forward side, don't you think?"

"Meh," she shrugged.

"Rhiannon," Kyoya settled her, "Think about it. If I would've proposed to Lana, don't you think you would've heard about it already? Who else would I ask for permission?"

"Aww..." Rhiannon got choked up again. Dammit, Kyoya. Why do you have to be fancy with your words? This is the kind of thing we need to avoid, "Kyoya, that's so sweet. You'd really ask me over our dad first?"

"Of course," he assured, "No offense, but I've met your father. I'd rather sit through a Sunday dinner with my entire family without my phone or an escape plan than deal with him again."

"Yeah," she agreed, "Our dad's not exactly a pleasant man. I can't imagine what they're going to say when I tell them I'm pregnant."

"Your parents don't know yet, Rhiannon?" Haruhi wondered.

"Not yet," she bit her lip, "They'll murder me."

"But not really," Honey nuzzled his way onto her lap, "Right, Rhi-chan?"

"Of course not," Rhiannon kissed his cheek, "I'll tell them eventually. Like when the bean goes off to college."

"Rhiannon," I scolded her lightly, "You know they'll find out eventually."

"I don't even want to think about that," she cringed, "So, distract me. If you and Kyoya aren't getting married, kid, what's new with you?"

"Actually," I beamed, "I have some really big news."

"Oh?" Rhiannon's face lit up, "Big news sounds promising."

"I'll tell you later," I promised as a few other radars started going off.

"Come on, Lana," Tamaki begged, "Don't keep us in suspense!"

"No," I put my foot down...Well, technically fin, "Rhi, I'll tell you later."

"Will it make me cry?" Rhiannon asked, "Because I might need some moral support."

"You'll have me," I pointed out, "And I have a feeling that if Honey were to get the hiccups right now, you'd cry."

"Yeah," she agreed, "My hormones suck."

"You'll be alright," Kyoya assumed, "You're resilient, Rhiannon."

"Thanks, Kyoya." That brought a smile to her face, "As long as you're not in my position, Lana, we'll be good."

"No!" I groaned, "No, no, no, no, no. I'm not...We're not..."

"Ok," she shut me up, "Good to know. But for serious, though. I missed you guys. What don't I know about?"

"Not much has changed," Haruhi told her, "The guys are still as scatterbrained as ever."

"Hey!" Tamaki protested, "What the hell?"

"Are you saying you're not?" she teased, "Senpai, you almost left our bags in France because you saw a puppy in a window."

"It was a cute puppy," he pouted.

"When did you two go to France?" Rhiannon wondered.

"Our last break," Haruhi glared at her boyfriend, "For the most part, it was a good trip."

"Until Tamaki nearly tricked you into getting married," I jabbed.

"Excuse me?!" Rhiannon freaked, "When what happened?"

"Needless to say," Haruhi grumbled, "I'm in the process of learning French."

"Aww...French," a little smile graced my sister's face, "La langue du roman..."

"That's what I say!" Tamaki squeaked.

"Uh..." I gave her a look, "Rhiannon...Since when do you know French?"

"French lit professor a few years ago," she recalled, "He'd alternate between dirty talk in English and French. Kyoya, have you picked out your classes for NYU yet?"

"No..." he worried, "Am I going to have to avoid certain professors you've slept with?"

"That'd probably be a good idea," Rhiannon bit her lip, "Some of them didn't end well...If they find out you have any connection with me, they'll make your life a living hell."

"I'm not taking French lit," Kyoya promised, "But I'll be sure to give you my classes before I send them off."

"Actually," she clarified, "I got along with the French lit professor. We dated for a couple months, but we realized we weren't meant for each other and parted ways."

"How fluent are you, Rhiannon?" Tamaki asked.

"I'm conversational at best," Rhiannon thought for a minute, "And there's a chance I'd probably accidentally offend someone."

"I don't know..." he smirked, "Je suis sûr que vous feriez bien."

"Je te l'ai dit," she caught his infectious smile, "Mon français n'est pas très bon."

"Ce n'est pas aussi grave que vous le pensez."

"Thanks, Tamaki," Rhiannon giggled, "I needed that today."

"What just happened?" I tried wrapping my head around it, but to no avail."

"Tamaki and I had a moment," my sister shot him a wink, "Now! What are our plans for the evening? Are we all doing something since I'm in town again?"

"No," I shook my head, "I thought it could be just us tonight."

"That sounds amazing," she sighed out, "I missed you most of all, Lana. By the way, you bitch, you made me cry myself into a nap the other day!"

"Hold on!" I settled her, even more confused by the one-eighty she just did, "How did I make you cry? I wasn't even there!"

"I got a box in the mail," Rhiannon explained herself, still a little pissed at me, "It had Japanese letters on it, so I could only assume it was from you. When I opened it up, there was a onesie in it."

"Oh yeah," I blushed, "You told me to send you a present."

"So, you send a Nightmare Before Christmas onesie?" she got all choked up again.

"It's one of your favorites, Rhi," I reminded her.

"I know," Rhiannon sobbed a bit, "But Elliot had to hold me for a while after that. You can't tell me that when it's the bean's first Halloween, they're going to make the cutest little Oogie Boogie you've ever seen."

"Definitely." This was the first time I saw Rhiannon since she told me she was pregnant. No one would ever know she was as freaked as what she was when she called to look at her now.

"Dude," she growled, "I'm freakin' starving! You know what sounds really good?"

"What?"

"I want sushi!" Rhiannon squealed, "Where's the nearest sushi place from here?"

"You can't have sushi, Rhiannon," Kyoya stopped her, "You're pregnant. Eating sushi puts you at risk for a blood infection that could hurt the baby."

"Dammit," she pouted.

"And how do you know this, Kyoya-senpai?" Hikaru and Kaoru wondered.

"That may be the stupidest thing you two have ever asked," Kyoya rolled his eyes, "Do I not come from a line of doctors? Have I not been groomed for that since I was little?"

"True."

"So," Rhiannon whined, "I can't have sushi?"

"Sorry," Kyoya shrugged, "You can't."

"That doesn't mean I can't eat my weight in ramen, though!" And her smile was back, "Come on! I want to go get some ramen!"

"Alright, alright." My God, Rhiannon…She was usually a hurricane in a butterfly net, but this? This was insanity, "Let me go change real quick."

"Me, too," Kyoya shared my sentiments. He didn't need to be an elf outside the host club. No matter how hot he was…I'd follow him into glorious battle any day of the week.

When the two of us looked human again, Kyoya, Rhiannon, and I went to a high-end ramen shop in the heart of Shibuya. It's times like these where I should've called Ritsu and asked him where the best ramen in the city was. He'd know. We'd end up in a back alley of Shinjuku, through another restaurant's kitchen, in their basement, through another door that emptied out into an old subway station, but it'd still be the best ramen we could get our hands on.

And if it wasn't nailed down, it was going in my sister's stomach. Both Kyoya and I were too afraid to say anything because Rhiannon might have actually growled at us. Once she powered through her sixth bowl of ramen, taking it away would've resulted in a bite so powerful, the skin would break…And someone might lose a limb. If anyone would've said something about it, Rhiannon would've burst into tears and neither one of us wanted to deal with that today.

"Kyoya?" a soft, lyrical voice drifted through the air.

"Uh-oh," Kyoya slid down in the booth.

"What?" I followed suit while Rhiannon continued stuffing her face, completely tuning out the rest of the world.

"Kyoya!" a woman found us, "There you are! Hiding from me, are we?"

"What reason do I have to hide?" Kyoya asked, taking my hand under the table.

"Maybe that you're juggling two women," she smirked, "I thought you only had that one American girl in London."

"I do only have that one in London," he assured, "Fuyumi, play nice."

So, Kyoya did know her. I kept my head down and my mouth shut, avoiding any and all eye contact, "Hey! At least I'm not going through your stuff."

"This time," Kyoya grumbled, "What are you doing here?"

"I got hungry," she shrugged, "And I wanted a snack. Is that such a crime?"

"No," he allowed, "You're free to come and go as you please."

"Hell of an appetite on her, isn't there?" she teased, "Unless you're into some things I never would've suspected. I wouldn't have pegged you to have a feederism fetish."

"Uh, Kyoya…" I was on the verge of a meltdown and I needed answers, "What's going on?"

"They're not her bowls," Kyoya defended, "They're her sister's and her sister is four and a half months pregnant, right, Rhiannon?"

"Seventeen weeks exactly," Rhiannon mumbled through a mouthful of noodle.

"So, roughly four and a half months," Kyoya went on.

"Congratulations!" she awed, "When's your due date?"

"September twelfth," Rhiannon was on a ramen high, so nothing else mattered right now.

"Kyoya," Fuyumi took Kyoya's arm, "You and I need to talk. Excuse us…"

"Wait," Kyoya stumbled a few steps as he came out of our booth, "Fuyumi!"

Before he had a chance to say no, he was already gone. I was left to come down pretty much on my own. I knew if things got bad enough, though, Rhiannon would pick up on that and do her best to calm me down, "Hey, Lana…"

"Yes, Rhiannon," I tapped my foot under the table. Violently.

"Did you know about her?" she wondered.

"Never met her a day in my life," I told her.

Come on, Lana. Find a happy place. Find a happy place. Settle your ass down before things get ugly. Before everyone starts staring and you want to dropkick them all in the chest so hard, your foot goes through. Slow breaths. You told Yuuichi you were good. Don't make yourself seem like a liar. Because you know he's going to ask Kyoya about this. But Kyoya doesn't even know I'm this bad. He's made his assumptions, but other than that…

"She's alright," Rhiannon slid me another bowl, "I like her!"

"That's nice to hear, Rhiannon," my guiding light came back, "I'm sorry about her, Lana. She's very excitable. Especially when it's something about me. You have one, too. I'm sure you understand. Are you ok?"

"What do you mean, I have one, too?" I asked, still a little scrambled.

"The overprotective older sister," Kyoya pulled me to his side, "If you can manage Rhiannon, you can manage Fuyumi. Ok?"

"Ok," I shook my minor anxiety issue off. Things were easier once Kyoya put them into perspective, "So, where did she go?"

"Her ramen order was ready, so she had to leave," he cradled me, "However, she does want to meet you."

"What?" I snapped back into it. Fantastic. I've only met one member of Kyoya's family formally and he was my doctor. Yuuichi understood how I operated. Well…Two if we're counting his ice king father. I had no idea how Fuyumi was going to react to me.

"It was either that," Kyoya explained, "Or she was going to hire a private investigator. I figured you'd rather the first one."

"Definitely," I nodded, "Ok. Sounds like fun. Now that I know who she is."

"She wants to meet you tomorrow."

"Ok."

"Around noon."

"Fine."

"She's picked a nice bistro to meet at for lunch."

"Okie dokie."

"Would you like to go home?"

"God, yes."

And just like that, the three of us ended up back at my place, safe and sound. Kyoya's sister wants to meet me? I guess it's better than the alternative. Instead of meeting all of his family at once, meeting them individually seems like a better idea. Smaller scales always are. Once I walked in the door, I put a kettle on and made a pot of chamomile.

"By the way, Lana," Rhiannon plopped onto my couch, "What was your good news that you didn't want to tell me in front of the host club?"

"Oh!" I nearly forgot, "I got a college acceptance letter the other day."

"That's my girl," she praised, "What school? I'll let you know if I know any of the professors biblically."

"Columbia?"

"You got accepted to Columbia?!" Rhiannon pulled me down to the couch, hugging me tight, "Lana, that's awesome! I'm so proud of you! And the ivy league professors wouldn't look twice at me. They're too smart for that."

"Thanks, Rhi," I managed to escape her grasp, only to notice her wincing in pain, "Rhiannon, are you ok?"

"Yeah," she relaxed, "I'm good. Bean's excited, too. Of course, my kid's a spazz. But they're happy Auntie Lana's going to an ivy league school."

"Thanks, baby," I awed, "I appreciate it."

"I'm exhausted," Rhiannon got up, "I'm going to the hotel and I'm going to bed. Nighty night."

"Good night, Rhiannon," Kyoya sent her off and joined me on the couch, "Now, my dear girlfriend, we should probably think about going to bed, too."

"Yeah," I curled into him, "That sounds like an idea."

"Lana," he worried, "Are you sure you're ok? I know Fuyumi can be a little much to handle sometimes."

"Kyoya," I promised, "I'm fine. If I can handle Rhiannon, I can handle anyone, remember?"

"That's my girl," Kyoya scooped me up in his arms, "Shall we go to bed, then?"

"Slumming it with a commoner, are we?" I teased.

"My commoner," he kissed my forehead and laid me on my bed, crawling in shortly after me, "Good night, my love."

"Good night…"

 **A/N: I was watching Ouran the other day and I forgot how much I loved Fuyumi and I have a feeling that she and Rhiannon are going to get along famously…Not to mention, with Rhiannon back in Tokyo, she has some new friends to meet, too…:3 Also, to my fellow Fullmetal trash, happy Fullmetal day! I posted a little something earlier today if you'd like to go look at it. See you next chapter! xx**


	40. A Lunch Date with Fuyumi

**A/N: Hi, guys! I noticed something earlier today. Last week, no one stopped by to say hi to me. Never, in my year and a half of writing Ouran fic have I gotten a chapter without a review on it. Do you not love me…? No. I know better. I know you love me. You don't even have to say it. But it's nice when you do…Let's get into today's chapter then, shall we?**

Waking up anxious is never pleasant. For me, it usually goes away in my first ten minutes of being awake. But then, an hour goes by...An hour and a half goes by...And I'm still pacing the floor. Come on, Lana. This should be done and over with by now. Then again, it's not every day I'm having lunch with Kyoya's sister for the first time, is it?

"This is happening," I mumbled to myself, pacing my apartment, "This is happening. This is actually happening."

"Lana," Kyoya pulled me down to his lap, "It's alright. Relax. You're ok. It's just my sister."

"Just your sister," I rolled my eyes, "I won't get a second chance with her, Kyoya. It has to go well today."

"I already told you," he held me a little tighter, "Fuyumi and Rhiannon aren't much different. I promise you'll do just fine."

"Were you this freaked when you met Rhi for the first time?" I wondered, hoping the distraction would help settle me down some.

"Not really," Kyoya shrugged, "I'm also around people a lot more than you. Unfamiliar people. Social anxiety isn't really something that affects me like it does with you. I don't actively seek out company, but if I have to deal with someone, I will. In the case with meeting Rhiannon for the first time, I thought she was just another guest of the host club. Until she called me nurse. Then, I knew exactly who she was. The night we spoke on the phone in Karuizawa, she immediately reminded me of Fuyumi, so I knew how to handle her. And if you make the same association while we're at lunch, you'll do fine."

"Will I?" I still wasn't too terribly convinced.

"Yes," he swore, "Listen. You love me, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then, you'll love Fuyumi, too," Kyoya was trying his best, but I couldn't help but fight him.

"But," I was about to sound like I was five, "What if she doesn't love me?"

"Lana," he sighed out, his patience growing thinner by the second, "She already does. This is more or less a formality."

"Wait," I thought for a minute, "What? How does your sister love me? I only met her briefly yesterday."

"Like I said," Kyoya ran his fingers down my arm, "Fuyumi is my Rhiannon. I tell her mostly everything...or more accurately, she finds out everything. So, in a way, she already knows you."

"Really...?" I knew Kyoya was close with his sister, but it never dawns on me that I'm ever a topic of conversation for them.

"Really," he nodded, "She adores you, sweetheart. I've never said a single ill word about you to anyone. Fuyumi just wants to see if you live up to the hype."

"That's it...?"

"That's it."

Maybe I am overthinking this. It wouldn't surprise me. I do have a terrible habit of doing that. If Fuyumi really was anything like Rhiannon, she's not only a handful, but she's also the most understanding person to ever exist. She'll be gentle on me. Besides, I am in love with her little brother and Kyoya's a lot like me anyway, so...

"Ok," I laid my head on his shoulder, "I think I can do this."

"There you go," Kyoya kissed the top of my head, "Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

And that's why I had Kyoya in the first place. When I didn't have Rhiannon to do it or I couldn't do it myself, no one could keep me from spiraling better than him. I'd be able to get through this. Kyoya and I left my place and headed to a restaurant in Omotesando...Kyoya did say it was going to be a high-end place. I remember Hikaru and Kaoru nearly taking me here once, but they said that Shibuya would be more my speed. And I wished Fuyumi thought the same.

"Lana?" Kyoya did one last check, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I took his hand, "She's just like Rhiannon, right?"

"Not exactly," he clarified, "But they're pretty close."

"Ok," I can do this...I can do this...It'd be just like having lunch with Rhi. Only I'm sure that Fuyumi won't eat everything that isn't nailed down.

"Kyoya!" Speak of the devil. Fuyumi flagged us down and threw her arms around her little brother. Whether he wanted her to or not, "Finally! I feel like I've been sitting here by myself forever!"

"Hello, Fuyumi," Kyoya greeted her, "Tone it down a bit please."

"Sorry," she brushed him off, "I guess I got a little excited."

"You do that."

Then, Fuyumi narrowed her sights on me, "Lana, right?"

"Yeah," I started to get nervous again. No, Lana. Settle down. You said you could do this. Don't let either one of them see you shaking.

"Lana," Fuyumi took my hands, doing her best to steady my tremors, "It's alright, honey. You don't have to be so nervous around me. Feel free to relax."

Kyoya was right. She was his Rhiannon. I bet she could talk me down from the ledge, too. Something in Fuyumi's soft, lyrical voice was very soothing. Slowly, but surely, the knot that formed in my stomach upon walking in started to ease a bit. Don't get me wrong. Everything else was still on high alert, but not quite at a code red anymore. Something about Fuyumi managed to knock me down to a code yellow.

"Thank you," I settled a little.

"So!" Fuyumi chirped, "I already ordered if that's alright."

"That's fine," Kyoya allowed.

"Sorry, I couldn't find a decent American restaurant," she apologized, "Otherwise, that's where we'd be."

"Honestly," I admitted, "I can't really do much for American food anymore. I lived between here and England so long that the mere smell of a cheeseburger makes me nauseous."

"She's why you were going to England," Fuyumi shot a glance at her younger brother, "You know, you had Dad worried you were going through another break."

"No," Kyoya rolled his eyes, "I'm fine."

"Yuuichi, too," she went on, "You know that Dad told him to keep an eye on you, right?"

"Surprise, surprise," he grumbled, taking my hand under our table, "You know as well as I do, he's not worried about me."

"Ok," Fuyumi let it go, "I see I've hit somewhere sensitive on the wrong person."

"Yes," Kyoya let out a heavy sigh, "But better me than her."

"No," I put my foot down, "I don't want you going through that either."

"Oh, I like her," Fuyumi applauded, "You keep her."

"That was the general idea," Kyoya's grip tightened a bit, giving us both some reassurance.

"So, Lana," she went on, "Tell me. What do you come from?"

"Fuyumi..."

"Kyoya..." she shut him up, "I'm not being confrontational. I'm being curious. What do you come from? Not where. You're American, clearly. And a cutie, too. That's for sure. Good for you, Kyoya."

"Oh..." Fuyumi's question didn't catch me off guard as much as I thought it would, "I wouldn't say I have much of a pedigree."

"You don't have to hide that," she assured, "I knew you were a commoner. That's fine with me. I'd say out of all of us, Kyoya's the bravest in that respect. Although, I haven't heard from Akito in a while, so I don't know if he's still with the same, stuck up bitch he was with."

"Akito?"

"Our brother," Fuyumi clarified.

"How many of you are there?" I gasped, turning my attention to my beloved boyfriend.

"Four, counting me," Kyoya counted in his head, "Yuuichi, Akito, Fuyumi, me."

"No other estranged siblings?" I wondered.

"No."

"What about you, Lana?" Fuyumi asked, "Any more other than your sister?"

"Nope," I shook my head, "It's just us. The plan was for it to be just Rhiannon, but then, I came along fifteen years later. My parents called me the happy accident."

"Yikes," she winced, "I've heard about your parents, too. By the sounds of them, they're not much different from ours. Just from a different end of the spectrum."

"What do you mean?" I still had yet to tell Kyoya I inadvertently met his dad the other day when I went to see Yuuichi. I could see where she was coming from.

"Fuyumi," Kyoya stopped her, his foot tapping under the table, "Not today. Please. Lana, I'll tell you some other time, but not today."

"Ok," she dropped it. Maybe I wasn't nervous for me this morning...Because this whole trip was turning into Kyoya's personal hell and I didn't want to do that. I brushed my thumb over his, offering a little bit of comfort to him. I won't ask again, baby, but if you ever want to talk about it, you know where to find me.

"Kyoya?" I spoke softly, "Are you alright?"

"Eventually," he assured, "Yes."

"Ok," I kissed his cheek, "Do we need to split?"

"No," Kyoya relaxed a bit, "It's fine."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

I hated when I had to do that. Because that meant Kyoya wasn't in a good place. I don't think I've ever heard him talk about his dad except for once briefly, but we were all a little drunk on champagne on New Year's. He had Daddy issues, but I wasn't going to ever go into them unless he wanted to. And coming from someone with problems surrounding her father, I understood if he wanted to keep his mouth shut.

"Hey, Lana," Fuyumi ran her finger around the rim of her glass, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I allowed, "Anything."

"Do you think maybe..." she thought it over, "One day, we can do this without supervision? Just you and me?"

Instead of Kyoya being worried about me since this adventure began, it's been me worried about him. I've probably prevented him from going down a dark hole at least twice. Maybe Fuyumi was alright. She even started reminding me of my own sister. A little brash, a little overbearing. The only difference was the fact she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and carried herself like it, too. I had a feeling that if Rhiannon and I were born into wealth, we'd be a lot like Kyoya and Fuyumi.

"Yeah," I smiled, "We can definitely do this again one day."

"I want us to hang out before you leave for New York," Fuyumi demanded, "You can do that, can't you?"

"You know about New York?" I gave her a look. Soon, that was squelched. Of course she knew about New York. Kyoya tells her everything.

"Yep!" she chirped, "I saw the NYU enrollment papers on Kyoya's dresser."

"When were you in my bedroom?" Kyoya wondered.

"You weren't home last night," Fuyumi pointed out, "And Mom and Dad are out of town, so I thought I'd come over. I was looking for you, but I figured you were probably at Lana's. I wasn't going to interrupt."

"That's awfully kind of you," he started to lighten up a bit.

"You know, Kyoya," she took his other hand, "I'm proud of you. You know that, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"I read your major," Fuyumi confessed, "I saw that it wasn't pre-med. Your passions are different than all of us, Kyoya. I have hope for you. Not that Yuuichi and Akito don't have their own passions, but we're not all the same. And Dad can't seem to get that through his head. Do you know why Yuuichi went into psychiatric medicine?"

"No clue," Kyoya played with the spoon in his tea, "Why, Fuyumi?"

"So he could keep an eye on you," she told him, "And I guess you, too, Lana."

"You know Yuuichi's my doctor?" I froze a little.

"I can get anything out of my brothers," Fuyumi giggled, "And I know you were recently in his hospital. That one I didn't get from anyone. I stopped by to say hi and saw you in the hall. But regardless of all that, I am proud of you, Kyoya. You're branching away from the family business. Fine arts major, huh?"

"Yeah," Kyoya nodded, "Her sister suggested NYU. And moving Lana back to the US wouldn't be a half bad idea. Especially with the baby coming along. I'm sure Rhiannon and Elliot are going to need all the help they can get. Besides, getting out of the country would probably be a good thing for me, too."

"All the way in the US, though?" she whined, "Do you know how long that flight is?"

"And there's a layover in Honolulu," I added, "It takes my sister two days."

"A layover?" Fuyumi groaned, "I hate indirect flights. Why New York, Kyoya? You could've picked anywhere in the world. You could've taken her back to London! That's only a ten-hour flight and that can be direct!"

"When I flew the first time," Kyoya thought, "I had a layover in Moscow. Only a few hours, though. Some kid got really angry with me and started yelling at me in Russian. His boyfriend was nice, though. He apologized for him. You and I should go there one day, Lana. It's actually a beautiful city. You'd like it."

"We'll have a whole summer to go globetrotting," I reminded him, "Don't you worry about it."

"So," Fuyumi asked, "Are you going to tell Dad or no?"

"I'm telling him," Kyoya assured, "The day we leave."

"Very smart," she praised, "That way, he can't stop you."

"Exactly."

"Well," Fuyumi got up, "I'll be off. I have other things to do today. Lana, can I make one little request?"

"What?" I got skeptical. And a little more nervous.

In an unexpected twist, Fuyumi pulled me into a hug and kept her voice down, "Please. Watch him. Things probably aren't going to be exactly pleasant for him when he tells our father and he's too proud to admit it, but he's going to need you. And you probably know how to take care of him as well as I can. Just…Take care of him. He worries me."

"I will," I promised without another thought. Of course I'd watch Kyoya for her. I'm sure my sister has told him the same thing. And why would that be? Because we know how to take care of each other when things aren't good. For me, it's riding it out with me. For him, it's usually a nap and reassurance. We're really simple creatures.

"It was such a pleasure meeting you, Lana," Fuyumi smiled, "Really, I do hope we get to do this again."

"Me, too," I agreed, "And as much as I love Kyoya, we'll do this without him."

"Hey," Kyoya pouted, "What did I do?"

"Nothing," I laced my fingers between his, "Absolutely nothing."

"I'll see you later!" And just like that, Fuyumi was gone.

"Lana," Kyoya gave me a little nudge, "Are you alright?"

"Are you?" I retaliated.

"Yes," he put his arm around me, "What about you?"

"Oddly enough," I did a quick assessment, "Yeah."

"Look," Kyoya and I left the restaurant and started walking back to his car, "I have a few things to go take care of, so I'm going to go drop you back at your place, ok?"

"Ok," I wasn't going to fight him. Something tells me it was a certain someone's nap time and Kyoya gets cranky when he's been a little freaked and hasn't had a…Oh my god…When did I start dating Honey?

Once we got back to my place, I got a quick goodbye kiss from Kyoya and went inside. This has been a hell of a day. And it's barely one o'clock. I'm glad we did that, though. I liked Fuyumi and I had a sneaking suspicion that the feeling was mutual. I threw my bag on the kitchen table and put a kettle on the stove.

"Welcome home, sweetheart," Rhiannon's voice made me jump, "How'd it go?"

"Jesus, Rhiannon! How'd you even…?" Without another word, Rhiannon held up the spare set of keys to my apartment and continued flipping through the magazine she was reading, "Oh…"

"So, I say again," she repeated herself, "How'd it go?"

"Well," I assumed, "Fuyumi loves me."

"Duh," Rhiannon rolled her eyes, "You're you, Lana. Anyone is bound to fall in love with you eventually."

"Thank you, I guess…?"

"Now," she attempted to sit up. It took her a couple of tries, but she got there, "I'm bored! Let's go play!"

In all honesty, when Kyoya said he'd be bringing me home, I didn't feel like coming back. I wanted to stay out a little longer. For some reason, I was feeling particularly good today. And playing with Rhiannon was always fun. Especially when I'd visit her in the summers and she'd take me to this penny arcade on Coney Island…I had it.

"Alright," I helped her onto her feet, "I have an idea, but you have to trust me."

"One hundred percent," she assured, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Rhiannon and I walked to the train station and took a bullet train to a hotel in Akihabara. I had only been here once, but I knew she'd be all over it just like I was my first time. I couldn't wait to see the look on her face when I show her one of my favorite best kept secrets in all of Tokyo. We stood outside the building and she looked at me like I was on drugs.

"You're taking me to a hotel?" she wondered, "I'm already pregnant, Lana. And I'm also a classy bitch. You take me to dinner before you take me to a hotel. That's just gentlemen's code."

"We're not getting a room," I giggled, "Just trust me."

 **A/N: Do you know where they're going? You should. We've been here before. Also, have I ever mentioned my love for Fuyumi? Because I really do think that she and Rhiannon are cut from the same cloth. Even though Fuyumi might be a little nosier than Rhiannon. Other than that, I could see those two becoming best friends. Don't be shy, kids. Being shy is what makes the ocean goblin angry and he'll steal your bones. (ALSO I FOUND OUT WHO EASTER DAVE IS! NEEDLESS TO SAY I KIND OF SHAT BRICKS) See you next chapter! xx**


	41. Adventures in Akihabara

**A/N: Hi, guys. First of all, I appreciate you all coming to my pity party last week. I'm sorry if the cake kind of sucked and might have had a cigarette put out in it. I've been hella needy lately and I'm not quite sure why. But we're all messes here, are we not? At least we're messes together. *tips drink* But all that aside, I'm going to do some quick addressing of some lovely guest reviews from last week.**

 **To MaddestHatter, I appreciate the love and the implied squishy hug. You're a wonderful human being and I love you.**

 **To the random Guest, I, too, have a serious love for Fuyumi. Can we talk about how awesome she is? I mean, she doesn't know what personal space is or boundaries, but I still love her dearly. She just wants to make sure her little brother's taken care of. It's the same thing with Rhiannon. I don't think Rhiannon goes through Lana's shit like Fuyumi does with Kyoya, but that's here nor there.**

 **And now, before we go on to today's chapter, there's a little something, something from last week's that I think I need to address. There's a line toward the end of last week's chapter where Kyoya and Lana and Fuyumi are talking about Kyoya's first trip to England to see Lana. And how there was some kid there yelling at him in Russian, but his boyfriend apologized for him. A lot of you seem to think that was some sort of reference to Yuri! On Ice. It definitely WASN'T a reference. Pfft…Otayuri, they say. I've never even seen Yuri! On Ice!**

 ***assistant walks over* Uh…Ms. Olivier…You've seen Yuri! On Ice three times over. You have Welcome to the Madness in your recent YouTube watch history along with eight different crack videos and the soundtrack on Spotify and you have Victor, Yuri, and Yurio's birthdays marked in your planner. Not to mention, you have four stories on your account for YOI and plans for a fifth one…Your obsession is real, ma'am.**

 **Hold on…When did I get an assistant?**

 **But my giggly narrative aside, yeah. That was totally some Otayuri going on and I'm so happy people caught that! The other day, my brother was whining about me making little references to things that only I get and I told him that I make those little references for me, not for him. Anything to make myself giggle like an idiot. Let me live. Although, I must admit it's nice when people get them. Is that why I don't have friends? Regardless, let's get into this, shall we?**

To think, when Ritsu brought me here for the first time, I thought he was going to kill me. Or show me some odd kinks I didn't want to know about. Instead, it was this beautiful gem hidden beneath Tokyo. And it was one of my favorite places in the whole city. As we went through the door, I delighted in the way my sister's face instantly lit up.

"What?" Rhiannon gasped, looking to me for confirmation that this wasn't a dream.

"Yeah," I beamed, "Awesome, huh?"

"This is amazing, Lana!" she squealed, "How in the hell did you find this place?"

"A friend of mine showed it to me," I told her, "Isn't it great? And there's a bunch of other really neat places I can show you once the baby's born."

"This is perfect," Rhiannon approved, "Have I told you today how much I love you, Lana?"

"I love you, too, Rhi," I giggled, "Since we're here, would you care to throw down for old time's sake?"

"My dear sister," she bowed to me, "It'd be an honor. Our usual poison?"

"Yes, please," I led her over to the Mortal Kombat machine. When I was younger, Rhi and I would kick the crap out of each other in two games: Mario Kart and Mortal Kombat. And I already knew how loose the Mortal Kombat machine was here. However, when we got there, it was already occupied.

"Dammit!" an angry voice thundered over the cabinet, "You robbed me, you son of a bitch! What the hell, machine?!"

"Relax, sweetie," Rhiannon settled him. Or tried to anyway, "You're hesitating on your special. Act a little quicker and you'll beat your opponent."

"Shut your mouth, you fat cow!" he snapped at her, "I know what I'm doing!"

"What...?" Uh-oh...My sister was about to be a blubbering mess. I could smell it.

"Ritsu," I gasped, taking him away from her, "No...She's not fat. She's pregnant and very sensitive about her weight."

"Oh my god," Ritsu quickly saw the error of his ways, "I'm so sorry! I didn't know!"

Rhiannon was too busy crying her eyes out to accept his apology, so I had to do it for her, "I know, Ritsu. You didn't mean it. You were pissed off at the machine, not her. But still. Dick move, man."

"I know," he quickly offered his chair to her, "Here. Can I get you anything? Anything at all?"

"Some tea would be nice," she blubbered, "And maybe some jalapeno poppers, if you can find some."

"Don't worry," Ritsu promised, "I can get some. What kind of tea do you want?"

"Chamomile," Rhiannon ordered, "And some ranch with those jalapeno poppers."

"Of course," he ran off in search of munchies and tea for my sister and redemption for himself.

"Hey, Lana," she rested her head on my hip, "Who was that?"

"He's a friend of mine, believe it or not," I explained, "That's Ritsu. I don't think I've told you about him."

"He called me fat," Rhiannon pointed out, "I don't like him. I don't approve."

"He didn't know you were my sister," I defended, "Let alone pregnant. He's a good dude, though. I promise."

"I don't know," she mulled it over, "My opinion on him depends on whether or not he comes back with my jalapeno poppers and didn't forget the ranch."

"I really am sorry," Ritsu came back to us, "And they didn't have chamomile, so I hope green tea is ok."

"It's fine," Rhiannon took the basket of spicy, deep fried goodness, "You brought me these and that's all that matters. Consider yourself redeemed."

"I didn't catch your name," he asked.

"It's..." she swallowed the mouthful of breading she had, "Rhiannon."

I knew that look. Rhi had sparkly eyes going on. I had to put a stop to that, "Rhi...He's underage. You're in a relationship now."

"That's right," Rhiannon thought for a minute, "Damn. Who'd have thought? Me in an actual, grown up, relationship that isn't casual sex? I mean, no shame in my game, but this is weird."

"Motherhood's changing you," I teased, hoping to God that wouldn't set her off again.

"Motherhood isn't changing me," she scoffed, "I've practically been a mother since I was fifteen. That's why I'm not worried about screwing up little bean. You turned out alright."

"Iffy," I winced, "But for the most part."

"Now," Rhiannon shifted her attention back to Ritsu, "What are your intentions with my little sister?"

"Your what now?" Ritsu regained his footing, "Nothing! I swear!"

"Relax, sweetie," she giggled, "You're fine. I've forgiven you for everything. You brought me food. You're golden. Let's just chalk one up to karma and we'll regroup later."

"By the way," I clarified, "Ritsu, this is my sister, Rhiannon. She's a bit of a mess and kind of a time bomb, but she's really a peach once you get used to her."

"Oh," Ritsu let out a sigh of relief, "So, I'm not getting the death penalty here?"

"No," Rhiannon emptied her basket, "But if it's cool with you, we're going to take this machine now."

"Yeah," he allowed, "Go ahead."

"Lana..."

"Yeah, Rhi?" I perked up, "What is it?"

"Have you ever played him before?" she wondered.

"Once," I nodded.

"And? Did you make me proud?"

"Kicked his ass," I smiled.

"Hey!" Ritsu whined, "You did not!"

"Ritsu," I looked up at him, "Are you sure about that?"

"I threw the match!"

"Oh, the siren's song of a sore loser," Rhiannon laughed, "You wiped the floor with him, didn't you?"

"I sure did," I grinned.

"Lana!" Ritsu turned bright red.

"Watch and learn, junior," Rhiannon put some money in the machine, "There's a Mortal Kombat cabinet in a little arcade in Queens with my name on it. Many have tried beating me and only one has successfully done it. Other than Lana, nobody beats me. Sometimes, the owner of that arcade calls me up and has me play people that get a little cocky just to knock them down a peg or two. My skill has become more or less a party trick and when people can show me off, they do."

"Should I be afraid?" he worried.

"What you should do," she instructed, "is score me another basket of jalapeno poppers. Little bean is making me want spice today."

"Yes, ma'am!"

I could already see where this was going. I loved my sister dearly, but she could be a master of manipulation. And Ritsu's guilt was stacked against him. It took him a while to come down from something like that. I've seen it firsthand. I only hoped she wouldn't use him like that. Rhiannon knew better. At least I think she does. But just in case...

"Rhiannon," I scolded lightly, "You're not going to slave out Ritsu, are you?"

"No," she promised, "Although, having someone bring me a steady stream of jalapeno poppers and not ask me for money is kind of nice."

"No," I shoved my finger in her face, "Don't take advantage of him. Ritsu's a sweetheart and he doesn't know how to say no."

"I'm not taking advantage of him," Rhiannon ran through the character select screen, "Now, join me and pick your character."

"Yes, ma'am," I dropped my change in the machine and got to work.

"This is just going to be a casual game," she stipulated, "No wagers. No death threats."

"Deal," I agreed.

"Did I miss anything?" Ritsu came back, pulling up another chair and holding onto Rhiannon's guilty pleasure.

"Not yet," Rhiannon said as the loading screen took its sweet time, "Hey, Ritsu..."

"Yeah?"

"I know we haven't known each other long," she pointed out, "But I need you to do me a solid. Since my hands are going to be busy and bean's an impatient little thing, could you...?"

"Are you..." Ritsu gave her a look, "Are you asking me to feed you while you're playing?"

"My boyfriend's in London," Rhiannon explained, "Her boyfriend is currently MIA. None of the host club babies are here. And I'm playing to win here. So, if you don't mind..."

"Sure," he nodded as the announcer called our fight, "It's not like there's anyone I know here. I mean, a lot of them know me, but that's a story for another day."

"Thank you!" she smiled, opening her mouth and mashing on the buttons just like me. As Ritsu fed Rhiannon her jalapeno poppers, I got her in a corner, "Are you trying to beat me, kid?"

"I might be," I got my special up, "Can't fault me for trying, right?"

"You're not trying, Lana," Rhiannon worried, "You're succeeding. You're kicking my ass."

"I learned from the best," I reminded her. Almost there...

"Aww," she gushed, "Flattered!"

But then, just before I managed to hit that fatality, Rhiannon beat me to it, "Dammit!"

"You did learn from the best," Rhiannon clarified, "But there's a reason why she's the best. You're going to make me cry happy tears, though, you bitch."

"Hey," I pulled my sister into a hug, "No need for that, Rhi. It's ok. I came close, but you got me in the end."

"I love you, Lana." My attempts at keeping her from crying failed miserably, but her mood swings have been so unpredictable.

"I love you, too," I wiped her eyes, cleaning up the smudged eyeliner that wasn't supposed to be smudged.

"Bean likes the sounds," Rhiannon's smile came back, "Or the jalapeno poppers have finally hit."

"How do you know that?" Ritsu wondered.

"I can feel them kicking up a storm," she winced a bit, "My baby's a nerd. You would be, wouldn't you, kid?"

"That's amazing," he gasped softly.

"Here," Rhiannon took his hand and mine and put them around her bellybutton. And I felt something move, "Those are probably bean feet."

"It's incredible," Ritsu's eyes had the weirdest sparkle in them. I don't think this boy has ever felt a baby before. Then again, neither have I, but it resonated differently with him. I've never seen him glow like this. He was absolutely mesmerized.

"Hey, Lana," she gave me a little nudge, "You know I love Kyoya, right?"

"Yeah," I poked at her belly, making her future child move away from me, "Why?"

"If things ever go sideways with you two," Rhiannon approved, "This one. I pick this one."

"Rhiannon!" I squeaked, scaring the baby while the heat burned in my face.

"You know," Ritsu admitted, "I've told her the same thing. But honestly, Lana's too good to be a mob wife."

"Excuse me?" Rhiannon choked on her last jalapeno popper, "A what now?"

"You didn't tell her about me, Lana?" he asked.

"You never came up," I shrugged.

"You're..." she came to again, keeping her voice down, "You're yakuza?"

"By birthright," Ritsu grumbled, "But yeah. And I don't want Lana getting mixed up in that. That's why we're not together. And because she's with Kyoya. Fortunately, no one would ever think to touch us, so she's safe. You don't need to worry, Rhiannon. I wouldn't put her in harm's way. Ever."

I laid my head on his shoulder, "Thanks, Ritsu."

"You're welcome," he threw his arm around me, "You guys want to get out of here? There's a tearoom not far from here. It's through a couple alleys and down a flight of stairs, but it's a neat place."

"Thank you," Rhiannon shot him down, "But I'm only in town for a month. Most of that time, Lana's going to be in school and I live a few thousand miles away. If it's cool with you, I kind of want to spend some quality time alone with my sister. We'll take a raincheck."

"That's fine," Ritsu allowed, "It was really nice meeting you, Rhiannon. And again, I'm really sorry about calling you a cow."

"Water under the bridge, sweetie," she hugged him tight, "Don't worry about it. You fed me. You're good."

"I'll see you later, Lana," he waved us off and Rhiannon and I took off. When we left the hotel, it was getting pretty dark outside.

"He's sweet," Rhiannon chimed, "A little short-tempered, but he's sweet. The girl he falls in love with is going to be very lucky. You'd never guess he was yakuza."

"You just described Ritsu Kasanoda in a nutshell," I giggled, "That's not a side he shows very often or to very many people, but when it does come out, it speaks volumes. That's for sure."

"I take it you've seen it firsthand," she assumed.

"Yeah," I nodded, "Once or twice. He's talked me down from panic attacks before."

"That guy?" Rhiannon gasped, "No..."

"Yes," I assured, "Like I said, Ritsu's a good dude."

"It's too early to go home!" she whined, doing a complete turnaround, "Let's go to Shinjuku."

"I don't know, Rhi," I winced, "Shinjuku after dark?"

"We'll be fine," Rhiannon rolled her eyes, "Who's going to jump a pregnant chick and her sister? You know that if worst comes to worst, I can kick someone's ass to the moon. And the so-called freaks that come out at night in Shinjuku? Sweethearts. Come on!"

It's not like I had a say in it. Once Rhiannon puts her mind to something, it's happening regardless. Why does that sound like someone else I know? I feel like Kyoya's said the same thing about Tamaki before. I'm surprised Rhi and Tamaki aren't closer. The two of us hopped a bus to Shinjuku and waited for where the night was going to take us.

Apparently, the night knew Rhiannon better than I thought. Our bus stopped outside a bar in the heart of Shinjuku with a brightly lit marquee out front with some of Rhiannon's favorite words on it. There was no way she was going to pass something like this up. Like I said, it is one of her most favorite things. She can't say no.

"Hell yeah!" she squealed, "Drag burlesque shows are some of the best!"

"I wouldn't know," I chased after her.

"Really?" Rhiannon gave me a look, "I've never taken you to a drag show?"

"Never."

"I feel like I've failed you as your sister," she awed, "Well, it's time I did right by you. Back home, this was a weekly ritual with some friends of mine. Then again, some of my friends were in the show, too. But drag burlesque can either get very racy or be very tame. Let's roll the dice, shall we?"

Oh dear...This was going to be an evening, wasn't it? When I was left unattended with Rhiannon, that was bound to happen eventually. Before I went inside, I made peace with my deities and ventured forward to the great unknown that would be a drag burlesque show.

 **A/N: Oh, I can't wait for next week. I REALLY can't wait for next week. I really, REALLY can't wait for next week. And I know you guys can't either. Now, this chapter came to me a few days ago when I was rereading through things and thought, "Gee, I bet Ritsu's gamer rage would be a lot of obscenities and anyone around him would end up a victim.". And since I knew Lana was taking Rhiannon to the arcade in Akihabara that Ritsu took her to. They were bound to see each other. But in his heat of the moment, calling Rhiannon a cow…? A little harsh. However, it gave us a chance to see Lana diffuse a situation and I'm very proud of her. She did well. See you lovelies next chapter! xx**


	42. Peep Show

Rich shades of purple and red and brilliant reflective golds covered the inside of this club from wall to wall. It looked a lot bigger from the outside. Then again, the tapestries draped from the ceiling probably helped with that. All in all, this place was nice. Nothing I would've guessed a drag club to look like. That is until my sister put it perfectly into words.

"This place looks like a brothel," Rhiannon got us a table, "But like a super classy brothel that only politicians know about."

"Nice, Rhi," I rolled my eyes, "Real nice."

"What?" she squeaked, "Tell me you couldn't see this place being some Japanese businessman's guilty pleasure he hides from his family."

"I could," I agreed, "But that doesn't mean you say it out loud. What have I said about you having a filter while you're here?"

"I thought that was just around the host club," she assumed, "I'm going to get a diet Coke. You want anything?"

"Lemonade," I ordered, making myself comfortable. As comfortable as I could be in here on my own. Before the show started, various drag queens were walking around, greeting people, striking up conversation with everyone. Not necessarily a good thing for someone like me. Luckily, Rhiannon wasn't taking her sweet time at the bar.

"One lemonade for my dear little sister," Rhiannon put my glass on our table, "I feel like I haven't been to a drag show in forever. I hope you realize that once you're in New York, Miss Ivy League, you're coming along for drag night."

"Rhi," I put things into perspective, "Are you going to be able to do drag night regularly once the baby's born?"

"I'll have Elliot," she figured, "When he's in town anyway. And I have responsible friends. We'll have lost time to make up for, Lana. You've been in boarding schools in different countries since you were twelve. Let me have this."

"Alright," I wasn't going to fight her. Rhiannon's been weepy off and on all day and I don't want her upset. All of a sudden, the lights went out and my hand darted for my sister's, "Rhiannon, what the hell is going on?"

"It's ok, honey," Rhiannon settled me, "It's for dramatic effect. They're not just drag queens. They're drama queens, too."

The lights came up on the stage and the queens came out. And queens they were. I wished I had an ounce of the confidence they had. Life would be so much simpler for me. I've never seen such beautiful, graceful creatures take on Lady Marmalade like they did. Especially the one in the middle that looked like the leader of the rest of them.

They were pulling off moves I couldn't do if I had been practicing my whole life. The one in the middle looked strangely familiar. I've seen that face before. Under all the glitter and the feathers and the rhinestones. And they knew me. The giant smile on their face gave it away. But I still couldn't place them...Then, as the curtain fell, it hit me...And crushed me beneath the gravity of the situation.

"They are actual queens," Rhiannon and I left the club, "No one can convince me otherwise. I'm so glad we did this."

"Me, too, Rhi," I tried to hurry her down the street. That was something I didn't expect to see tonight. Or ever, but here we are.

"What the hell, Lana?" she stumbled a bit, "What's the rush?"

"No rush," I tried to play it off.

"Lana," Rhiannon scolded, "Lying to me, sweetie. What's going on?"

"Lana!" my favorite queen attack hugged me from behind, "What do you think you're doing in a place like this, young lady?"

"It wasn't my idea," I immediately threw Rhiannon under the bus, "I promise."

"This doesn't seem like it'd be your idea."

"Hey, Lana?" Rhiannon butted in, "Could I get some context here? Or any explanation would be nice."

"This is Ranka," I introduced him, "He's a friend of mine. He was my parent or guardian that signed me out of the hospital."

"Really?" Ranka gave me a look, "I'm pretty sure we're a little closer than that."

"Alright," I added, "He's been more of a dad to me than our own."

"There's what I wanted to hear," he kissed the top of my head.

"That's not hard to do, honey," Rhiannon found a bench, "I love Dad dearly and he's got his moments, but they're just that. They're just moments. I'm pretty sure those moments need to last longer."

"Ranka," I brought it back, "This lovable angel is Rhiannon."

"Your Rhiannon?" Ranka gasped, "Your sister Rhiannon?"

"The one and only."

"It is so nice to finally meet you!" he joined her, "I've heard so much about you!"

I wonder what he's heard. Right now, Rhi didn't care. She just made friends with one of the beauties we saw on stage tonight, "You've told Ranka about me, Lana?"

"I don't think I've said much," I thought back. Did Haruhi talk about her? Or the most likely scenario...

"Kyoya," Rhiannon guessed.

"Probably," I agreed. For Rhiannon's sake, I hope Kyoya knows what to keep his mouth shut about. Ranka would kill her if he knew about the liquid fun she gave his daughter.

"Mostly Kyoya," he confirmed.

Ring, ring!

"Speak of the devil?" Rhiannon wondered as I dug my phone out of my bag.

"Yep," I nodded, "I have to take this. Is that cool?"

"Go ahead," Ranka let me go.

"Awesome," I slid my finger across my phone screen and ducked into an alley, "Kyoya, your timing couldn't have been better."

"Hi to you, too," Kyoya got nervous, "Are you ok, Lana? You need me to get you out of wherever you are?"

"No, I'm fine," I assured, "Rhiannon took me out tonight. After you dropped me off, she was in my apartment and figured we needed to go play in Akihabara. So, when we finished up there, we ended up in Shinjuku and Rhiannon's a sucker for a drag show. Guess who met Ranka tonight?"

"Rhiannon?"

"I'm cold and frightened," I bit my lip, "God only knows what we're going to get into."

"Do you want me send back up?" he offered.

"I'll be alright," I promised, "But maybe you could come over tonight? Just in case I shouldn't be left alone."

"My pleasure," Kyoya had a smile in his voice, "Should I have dinner waiting for you when you get home?"

"You don't have to do that," I giggled. My boyfriend may come off cold and calculating, but sometimes, he could be such a dork.

"I just called to check in," he sighed, "Are you sure you're ok? You're good enough to handle Rhiannon and Ranka by yourself?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "For the most part. It's not like I don't know either one of them, Kyoya. I'll manage. And if I need anything, I'll call. For now, I got them."

"Ok," Kyoya let it go, "I love you. I'll see you when you get home."

"Love you, too," I hung up my phone and threw it back in my bag. Something tells me I shouldn't leave Rhiannon alone with Ranka for long. That's when scary things for Lana get cooked up.

"Was that Kyoya?" Rhiannon asked, "Or was that your little something, something on the side?"

"I don't have any little something, something on the side," I gave her a little swat to the arm.

"The dude at the arcade?" she jabbed.

"Excuse me?" Ranka's ears perked up, "Lana, care to explain?"

"I have another guy friend," I rolled my eyes, "And he's not part of the host club. Rhiannon likes to jump to conclusions. Kyoya and I have been over this already. There's nothing going on and there's nothing to worry about."

"Alright," he draped his arm around my shoulders, "In that case, ladies...The night is still young. Shall we go play?"

"I'm in!" Rhiannon chirped, "Lana? You coming?"

"I don't think so," I bit my lip, "I was thinking about heading home."

"Oh, come on," she begged, "I promise it'll be fun. Please?"

As much as I wanted to go home, I was in no mood to collect Rhiannon's bail money and leaving her and Ranka by themselves would be a disaster. I couldn't say no, "Fine. We can go play."

"Yay!" Rhiannon beamed, "I know I've done Shinjuku after dark before, but that was when I was going back to my hotel from work."

"We're not going too crazy," Ranka assured.

"Ok," I loved my sister, but sometimes she needed to be reined in. And that's what we had Ranka for. He was going to be our adult supervision. Although Rhiannon knew my limits, she could also forget I had limits. Ranka's overbearing nature comes in handy in cases like this.

Instead of going to another club like Rhiannon wanted to, the three of us agreed on a diner on a less seedy side of Shinjuku. I was exhausted. Ranka was coming off a shift. Rhiannon had enough energy to make up for us. I don't understand where she was getting it from. Wasn't she supposed to be more tired than both of us? We holed up in our booth, half asleep while Rhiannon scarfed down her ice cream.

"God, I wish I could drink," she whined, poking at her belly, "Thanks, bean the buzzkill."

"You can have one as soon as the baby's born," I promised her, "We can do New Year's all over again."

"Hell yeah!" Rhiannon grinned, "I can't wait until September."

"I remember those days," Ranka sighed out, "Kotoko was the same way as you."

"Kotoko?" I asked.

"Haruhi's mother," he explained.

"Haruhi?" Rhiannon squeaked, "Our Haruhi?"

"My Haruhi," Ranka corrected.

"Then, that would mean..."

"In the flesh."

"I never would've pegged you as Haruhi's dad," Rhiannon's eyes grew wide, "Really?"

"Yeah," he giggled, "How else would I have met Lana? I don't make it a habit to hang around outside high schools. That's a little creepy, even for me."

"Yet you have no qualms about stalking a couple of teenagers on a date," I mumbled to myself.

"What was that, Lana?" Ranka's dad voice shook me.

"Nothing."

"Anyway," he continued, knowing damn well what I said, "When Kotoko was pregnant with Haruhi, she was the same way as you, Rhiannon. She'd go from miserable to perfectly content in seconds. And if it wasn't bolted down, she'd eat it. Even a few months after she had Haruhi. All she wanted was sushi. Sashimi, specifically."

"I'm the same way," Rhiannon sucked on her spoon, "Do you know how much it sucks when you get back to Japan and can't have any sushi? I damn near cried."

"Poor Elliot," I empathized.

"He's been a trooper," she commended, "I mean, I've been the one actually carrying bean, but he's had to deal with my mood swingy ass. He didn't have to drop everything the moment I told him. He didn't have to come take care of me. I'm so happy he did, though. I miss him..."

"It's three o'clock in London," I told her, remembering how murderous the time zones were with Kyoya and me, "You could call and check in. See how everything is."

"Could I?" Rhiannon thought, "What if he's busy?"

"Rhiannon," I had to put on my mom voice, "I lived in London for a few years. When I'd get out of school, I'd go to the pub once in a while. Why? Because I knew it'd be empty. It's no problem if you want to call Elliot."

"I'm going to!" she took out her phone and scrolled through her contacts.

"Hey, Lana," Ranka whispered to me, "Who's Elliot?"

"Her boyfriend," I clarified, "Father of her child."

"Hello?" Rhiannon's phone barked.

"Hey, baby," she beamed.

"Hi, Elliot!" I chimed in.

"Hi there, beautifuls," Elliot greeted us, "Not to sound ungrateful you called, but isn't it eleven o'clock in Tokyo right now? You better be in bed, Rhiannon."

"I'm sitting at a diner with Lana," Rhiannon confessed, "I'm not in bed."

"Rhiannon..."

"Bean's nocturnal anyway," she blew him off, "How are things on your end of the world?"

"I still have a few things to take care of," Elliot said, "Some things to finalize. I'm going to have a big surprise for you when you get back home."

"What did you do?" Rhiannon worried, a little smile still on her face.

"You'll see," he stayed cryptic, "I miss you…"

"I miss you, too…" Uh-oh…I had a prediction for Rhiannon tears in t-minus ten seconds…We should all seek shelter, "When am I going to see you again?"

"Soon," Elliot swore, "Before you know it."

"Promise?" her lip started quivering. Come on, Elliot. Save this.

"I pinky promise," he kept a soft tone in his voice, so he didn't upset her, "Go to bed, love. I'll call you in the morning before you go to work, ok?"

"Ok," she came back around, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Elliot blew the phone a kiss, getting me nostalgic for the days when this was Kyoya and me. To think I only had a little while longer to wait to see him again.

"Well, kids," Rhiannon gathered herself, "Elliot has spoken. Besides, if I start letting bean call the shots when they're still in the womb, I'll never get out of it. It's bedtime. Ranka, it was so nice meeting you."

"You, too, sweetheart," Ranka awed, "We need to do this again."

"Damn right, we do," she agreed, "When's your next day off?"

"Wednesday," he thought for a minute, "I think. I'm pretty sure it's Wednesday."

"I'll talk to my boss over here," Rhiannon assured, "I'm sure Yoshi won't say no."

"It's a date," Ranka threw his arms around me, "And you'll be there, too, right, Lana?"

"I'll think about it." There's no way I'd be going without either his daughter or my boyfriend, but what's the worst that could happen?

"That wasn't a no!"

Rhiannon and I left the diner and I headed home. I just wanted to crash. This day needed to end. I've played with Rhiannon. I did lunch with Fuyumi, who wasn't all that bad. I had to keep my sister from bawling her eyes out from Ritsu's big mouth. Spending any quality time with Ranka didn't even occur to me. I just wanted to crawl in bed and go to sleep. However, when I got to my bed, there was already someone in my position.

"Do you realize how late it is, young lady?" Kyoya pulled me to his chest.

"I'm sorry," I cuddled, "Rhiannon's a bad influence."

"I could've told you that," he stole a quick kiss from me, "It feels like I haven't seen you in an eternity."

"You're delirious, Kyoya," my eyelids grew heavier and heavier by the minute.

"I'm serious," Kyoya cradled me, "I understand your sister's in town, but with the way things are going to be in the next couple of weeks, I could use some time with you. Just the two of us."

"Are you thinking another weekend in Karuizawa?" I asked, definitely not objecting to the idea.

"We have school in the morning, Lana," he giggled a bit, "We're not going to Karuizawa. Not right now anyway. How about tomorrow after school, after the host club, you and I spend some time together? No Rhiannon. No host club. No other outside people. Just us."

"Ok," I can't say no to that. And I knew a perfect place for us to go…

 **A/N: Hi, guys! First of all, I'm so happy Rhiannon and Ranka know each other now. They're going to be best friends and the universe may implode on itself, but regardless. And now, for a bit of news…**

 **It's getting to be that time of the year again. Next Wednesday is the first of November. For those of you that haven't been around here since Kiss, Kiss first started or you came in late or whatever it may be, November is the magical month where I go on hiatus. It's NaNoWriMo season and for those of you who don't know what that is, it's essentially a writer's Christmas or our ultimate hell. The goal is to write 50,000 words in a month from the first to the thirtieth. Last year, I nearly quadrupled that, so I might not be on hiatus for too long. Just expect it to be all month. If you need anything, I'll still pop in once in a while to check in. Usually, I'll be in the reviews, so keep an eye on them. I'm going to miss all of you terribly, but I'll be back in December, so until then, pray for me. Wish me luck! I'll see you next chapter. xx**


	43. Take Care

**A/N: Hello, my babies! I'm home! Did you miss me? Because I missed you! I bored all the beans at the Black Butler fic with catch up at the beginning, so I'm going to wait until the end to talk. You guys aren't here to hear about my life. You want to see what my imagination has to offer while I sit here, eat my chocolate, and enjoy life. Then, what are you still doing here? Story's down there.**

After a long day of classes where nothing was going on anyway because of exams, I deserved a little time to myself. By time to myself, I mean seven of my closest friends and the fifty guests that forewent their establishment. When I walked into the host club, there was no mystical wonderland, no other world. It was just the music room. In a way, it was kind of nice. Not overly stimulating. But that meant I could get some quality time with my favorite host.

"Hello, gorgeous," Kyoya looked up from his black book and pulled me into his lap, "I was wondering when I'd get to see you again. I missed you."

"I missed you, too," I laid my head in his shoulder, "You're awfully affectionate today, Kyoya? Should I be worried? Do I need to call someone?"

"What?" he nuzzled his face in my hair, "I can't love my girlfriend? Is that a crime now?"

"I'm not going to stop you," I allowed, "I'm just…"

I took a quick look around the room. A bunch of regular host club guests were gushing and squealing over how cute Kyoya and I were together. So that's what's going on. I never thought he'd ever exploit our relationship for host club moe. My eyes rolled into the back of my head. Although, I knew it was coming from a place of love to begin with. Righty now, I'd gladly take what I could get.

"Is there something on your mind, Lana?" he asked, genuinely concerned, not for the sake of fan service anymore.

"No," I let it go, "So, I have a question."

"What's that?"

"What are we doing tonight?" I wondered, keeping my voice down. It's best if I didn't attract the attention of inquisitive hosts. Mainly Tamaki and the twins. This would be the kind of thing they'd stick their noses into. I think Honey, Mori, and Haruhi have the common sense to respect our privacy.

"I'm not sure," Kyoya held me steady on his lap, "Anywhere in particular you'd like to go?"

"Well…" Immediately, my thoughts went to Nakameguro. Ever since Ritsu took me there, I've always seen it as a spot for Kyoya and me to go one day. It seemed so perfect and peaceful. And now that the sakura trees are in full bloom, I can only imagine how beautiful that river was, flooded with soft pink petals. I'll just leave out that little factoid about Ritsu and me, "Think we could go down to the river?"

"Nakameguro?" he wondered, "That's awfully romantic, Lana. And you tell me I'm being oddly affectionate. Are you trying to wine and dine me?"

"I could," I teased, "It doesn't have to be you spoiling me all the time."

"But I have no problem spoiling you," Kyoya snuggled me, "You know that."

"I know," I caved, "But I'm assuming Nakameguro is good with you."

"It sounds wonderful," he shut his notebook, "After the host club?"

"Nakameguro?" Apparently, our inside voices weren't inside enough, "Did I hear you right?"

"No," Kyoya shoved the end of his pen in Tamaki's chest.

"I've thought about taking Haruhi to Nakameguro once or twice," Tamaki admitted, "Does that not sound like the most romantic thing? And it's so untouched. A pure location for such an innocent romance…"

"Says the guy that tried tricking me into marriage," Haruhi chimed in, "Was that the kind of innocence you were talking about, Senpai?"

"I said I was sorry," he reached out to her, "Haruhi…"

"While they're distracted," Kyoya gave me a quick kiss, "I'll take you home and pick you up around five-thirty. Is that good for you?"

"Perfect," I approved, "I look forward to it."

"It feels like ages since we last had a little quality time together," Kyoya's embrace tightened around me, "Normally, I wouldn't call myself the needy type, but I do need you every now and then."

"And I need you regularly," I kissed his cheek, "It's not too often we're apart, Kyoya. You have other friends. I have other friends and my sister's here. It's only natural for us to come back to each other."

"We always do," he buried his face in my neck. I guess he was feeling needy. With Rhiannon wanting to take me every which way and my noggin giving me problems and this person wanting to play with me and that person wanting to play with me. And on top of all that, there's been exams for us to worry about and the host club's graduation party he's been planning to the letter, Kyoya and I took a backseat to that. And it's a damn shame.

Five-thirty, huh? After Kyoya dropped me off, I tore my closet apart. It's rather warm today. My uniform was too much. I changed into a short, airy skirt and a tank top with a lighter cardigan and did a quick look at myself in my bathroom mirror. My face was looking a little rough, but then again, it's my face. No. Lana, we're not doing that. Remember what Kyoya said. He doesn't like it when people insult his girlfriend because she doesn't deserve it.

I love when Rhiannon decides to crash here and accidentally leaves things behind. She wasn't wearing much for makeup these days anyway. Maybe her eyeliner if she's lucky. She left an entire palette here. Bless her. They were all neutrals, but I could make them work. With a few swipes of a brush, I looked a little less dead and a little more...I don't know. Shiny. I even managed a few spins in the mirror without hating myself. Good for you, Lana. You're coming up in the world.

Once the bell tolled five-thirty, the rumble of Kyoya's engine brought a smile to my face. I knew we'd be off to Nakameguro in no time. It's been a few weeks since I was last here. It was colder outside and tea was a necessity. Then again, when isn't tea a necessity? Silly me. It didn't matter, though. I had Kyoya and he had me. That's all I wanted from this.

"You know," Kyoya threw his arm around me as the two of us sat on a bench near the water, "In a few weeks, we're going to be doing this near the Hudson River instead."

"You think so?" I laid my head on his shoulder, "Because I was thinking more along the lines of our couch in our apartment down the street from Rhiannon's place."

"We got this," he smiled, "You and me. We got it all figured out, don't we?"

"God, no," I giggled, "Far from it. But we will."

"I like the optimism," Kyoya jabbed, "Where'd that come from?"

"It's better than being miserable," I decided, "And I don't want to associate New York talk with that."

"That's my girl."

A little quality time. That's all we needed. Just like that, I was back on an even kilter again. And so was he. And not a moment too soon. Because the next morning, final exams were going to take every ounce of joy I had out of my body and leave my completely drained. My study skills were less than desirable, but I had my own system. It involved a five-pound bag of Maltesers and an iron will not to eat them all. I could do this. I think.

Once my energy was all nonexistent, I dredged myself into the host club. Of course, to no surprise, I was immediately spotted and taken to one of the couches where one of the next available hosts would be able to take care of me. Despite being the apple of the host club's eye, once the end of the year comes and they're packed, even I have to wait in line. Things were so busy, they had to hire out some seasonal help from the middle school. The one that sat me seemed like he was constantly angry. I wanted to give him a hug and tell him life wasn't so bad, but I had a feeling he'd bite me.

"My God, Lana," Haruhi winced, finding me by myself and unattended to, "Are you ok? How long have you been here?"

"I'm exhausted," I sighed out, "But I'm ok. Exams are kicking my ass."

"Hang on," she settled me, "I'll go get us some tea."

"Actually, Haruhi," I stopped her, "If it's ok, you think Kyoya's free right now?"

"It's Kyoya-senpai," Haruhi pointed out, "Even if he is busy, you know he'll make time for you."

"Bless him," I curled up into a ball, making myself comfortable.

"Lana?" That was quick, "You know you don't have to wait. What are you doing here all by yourself?

"Baby Levi Ackerman at the door sent me here," I fell into my boyfriend's arms, "Kyoya, I'm tired."

"Exams?" he figured.

"Yeah…"

"Maybe you should do a little more studying," Kyoya kissed my forehead, "I know it's a daunting task, but if you need some more biology tutoring, I'd be more than happy to oblige."

"You'd just be a distraction," I teased, "We'd end up strip studying and that'd get messy quick."

"I promise I won't be a distraction," he hugged me tight, "I'll come over tonight if you want me to."

"That's fine," I allowed, pulling myself up, "Unfortunately, I'm not sticking around for long in here. I got a date."

"Yuuichi?" Kyoya assumed.

"Yep," I grabbed my bag, "He told me he wanted to see me around graduation and with that coming up in a few days, I'd say now would be a good time for him to get an assessment of my mental state."

"When you're already so tired?" he worried, "You sure?"

"Yuuichi knows the difference," I promised, getting one last kiss, "I love you. I'll see you tonight."

"I love you, too," Kyoya sent me out and I headed to Yuuichi's office. As much as I loved his little brother, Yuuichi was a great help in situations like this. I'm not exactly depressed, but I wouldn't say I'm ecstatic either. Just neutral.

"Yuuichi," I walked into his office and threw myself on his couch, "My brain is fried. I'm destroyed. I'm sure after a thirty-minute nap, I'll be fine, but for now, everything is hell."

"Hello to you, too, Lana," Yuuichi greeted me, "Please come in. Honestly, I'm just happy you're here. I thought you would've either forgotten or blew me off entirely."

"No," I moaned into the arm of the couch, "I'm still here."

"It's just the end of the year," he assured, "You've completely checked out. Have you gotten any acceptance letters yet?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I got one from Columbia a few weeks ago."

"Congratulations," Yuuichi praised, "I bet NYU is wishing to have you back now that an ivy league school has shown their interest in you."

"I doubt it."

"Come on," he gave me a little pop to the shoulder, "Don't be so hard on yourself."

"I know," I agreed, "I'm awful."

"You're not awful," Yuuichi groaned, "Now, I think you're doing this just to screw with me."

"You caught me," I giggled in my delirium, "Like I said, I'm absolutely fried. Take everything I say right now with a grain of salt."

"Oh, Lana," he let out a heavy, exasperated sigh, "When was the last time you had a decent night's sleep?"

"Probably a couple days ago," I thought back, "That was the last time Kyoya stayed the night with me. I get the best sleep with him."

"And how is Kyoya doing?" Yuuichi asked.

"He's peachy."

"That's good," he praised, "Now, you need anything right now? Cookies? Dosage upping? Lowering? Everything fine?"

"Yeah," I was ready to fall asleep right now this couch. I haven't been so comfortable all day.

"Before you crash on my couch," Yuuichi gave me a nudge, "Go home. Get some real sleep. Please."

"I do have Kyoya coming over tonight…" I remembered, blushing a little about his study suggestion, "Maybe I will sleep tonight."

"Please, Lana," he begged, "I know that with exams and your impending move, it'll be easy to forget to take care of yourself. But that's just as important as the other stuff."

"I know," I pouted, "I promise I'll take care of myself. Better care of myself anyway."

"Good," Yuuichi threw his arms around me, "If you need anything, call me, got it?"

"I will," I swore.

"Go on," he shooed me out, "I'm sure I'll see you within the next day or two anyway."

"Bye!" I waved behind me and made my very sleepy walk home. Or so I thought. Little did I know, I had a ride waiting for me outside.

"Hi, gorgeous," the ridiculously sexy driver beckoned me, "Shall we go home?"

"It'd be my pleasure." With minimal prompting, I jumped in the passenger seat. Damn, he's got good timing.

 **A/N: So, we have study session with Kyoya next. And that's going to be just…just a delight. Now, I'm sorry that this is up so late. I've been gone a month. It's going to take me a minute to get back in the swing of things and things are good again. Let's talk about that hiatus for a bit, yeah?**

 **So, my NaNo project was nearly 66,000 words long. I'm quite proud of it. It's going to be up on my Fiction Press, if you're interested in a dystopian/utopian sci-fi novel that has its moments where it kind of screws with your head. But I really did miss all of you. I know you guys are a little more special than the others and I worry more about you guys than all the others. So, are we doing ok? Are we good? Regardless, see you next chapter! xx**


	44. The Cool Type Loses His Cool

**A/N: You know why I hate December? Don't get me wrong. The holidays are nice and the few days of the year where the family isn't trying to kill each other is always a bonus, but do you know why I hate December? It's the month after NaNo season. Playing catch up is hellish. I was going to give myself a week in the beginning of December to get everything together, but instead, here we are. I know I'm going to be out Christmas shopping more often than not. I'm not going to get anything done and if I do, I'm going to be doing it while I'm exhausted and in dire need of sleep. But enough of my venting.**

 **We're going to give a quick shout out to a sweet little angel named Erica, because I'm guessing she's made her jump from Instagram to finally hanging out with the babes here. It's unfortunate what happened, but we all have our little slips. I understand. And remember, we're always here. You need anything, you know where I am. My inbox, my Instagram if need be…You need to talk, you can talk. I know that's one of those things that's easier said than done, but we still need you to stick around, got it? Because I love you and I know everyone else here probably does, too. We're a pretty loving bunch 'round here and no one has room to judge you. I mean, within the last month or two, I've had a few close calls (including a fun panic attack last night!). We're all on the same sinking ship. At least we're in good company. Before I get too emotional and gushy here, we're going to jump into the story now, ok?**

"You'll do fine, Lana," Kyoya assured as the two of us stood outside Ouran Academy. I had all my exams staring me in the face. Kyoya had stayed over many a night throughout the week, helping me study. I'm sure he's right and I'll do alright…Right?

"You think so?" I worried, still a tad shaky.

"Yes," he gave me a quick kiss, "Good luck. Go to class. I'll see you in biology. Everything's going to be ok. Remember that."

"Thanks, baby," I nuzzled my face in his chest, "Pray for me."

"You'll be ok, Lana," Kyoya sent me off and I went into my first exam. Technically, it wasn't even a test. All we had to do was show up. Thank God for homeroom. And to make things even better, my favorite bundle of anger with an angry face had just walked in. But I knew better. He wasn't angry. He's just misunderstood.

"Hey, Lana," Ritsu sat at his desk in front of me.

"Good morning," I had already calmed down a little bit. Pulling his hair out of his face was the icing on the cake, though. Soft, warm, and he always smelled like cinnamon for some reason. Not that I'm complaining.

"Are you ok?" he asked, "You seem out of it. Like…More than usual."

"Exams got me jittery," I admitted, "But I'll be fine."

"Why didn't you say something?" Ritsu offered, "I would've helped you study."

"Kyoya did," I sat on his desktop, unable to hold back a smile even if I wanted to. When we studied, Kyoya taught me an easy way for me to remember things. Normal people use flash cards. Us? We may or may not have used body parts instead. I could already feel the heat rising in my face at the sheer memory of it.

"What's that all about?" Ritsu took notice. But then, he scrambled to his feet, "Dammit! Lana! Are you ok?"

"What do you mean?" my heart rate spiked, "What's going on?"

"You're having a nosebleed," he grabbed a tissue out of a side pocket on my bag and got my head back, "My god, is this what it's like when you do this for me?"

"More or less," I confirmed, trying to get myself to relax.

"Are you good, though?" Ritsu worried, "Like…Altogether?"

"Not very altogether," I reported, "But I think I'll be ok."

"Lana, come here," he threw his arms around me, keeping the tissue under my nose in place, "You know I'll keep you safe."

Since the day we met, I knew that if things got bad and Kyoya wasn't there, Ritsu wouldn't hesitate to take care of me. He made me a promise that he'd never put me in harm's way. I don't ever see him going back on that. With my head on his shoulder, resting comfortably in his arms, I had come down enough to function again. Ritsu was getting better at this taking care of me thing. It sucks that I'll be leaving him soon.

"Thanks, Ritsu," I curled into him a little more, hiding my face in his chest.

"You're welcome," Ritsu spoke gently, "Are you going to be ok?"

"Yeah," I felt too heavy to move, but I'll manage.

"You know…" Here we go. Someone sticking their nose where it didn't belong, completely unaware of what's going on between Ritsu and me, jumping to conclusions, "People are going to think you're together if you sit like that, Lana."

"Yeah," her friend joined in, "Aren't you and Haruhi a thing?"

"No," she figured, "She's with Kyoya, but she's cheating on him with Haruhi. Which means she's cheating on Haruhi with…"

"Shut up," Ritsu growled, "She's not cheating on her boyfriend. She loves him too much. I'm lucky enough to call her a friend, but that's as far as we go. Same with Haruhi. Now, you're going to leave them alone. All of them. Lana, Kyoya, Haruhi, me. Especially Lana and Kyoya. It's done."

These girls turned around, terrified out of their skin. I've never been so thankful to have Ritsu in my corner. I held back tears of joy while he ran his hand absentmindedly up and down my spine, trying to get me to come down again, "Thank you, Ritsu."

"Let me see your face," he lifted my chin to him, checking me over, "On a positive note, it looks like your nose stopped bleeding."

"Good." That wasn't stopping my shaking, though.

"Lana," Ritsu's embrace tightened, "You know you're not a slut like they're trying to make you out to be. You know who you're with. You know what the truth is. They just don't have anything better to do, so they exaggerate little things they see and blow them out of proportion to entertain themselves. They're bored and sad and don't matter. Don't worry about it."

I had my boys in the host club. Don't get me wrong. And they were all the brothers I never had. But none of them were Ritsu. He was much more grounded. And he was here. Everyone else had exams, too. In hindsight, I probably should have used that time to study, but I'll be ok. All I had to do was keep my head about me and not burst into a nosebleed when I thought of the way Kyoya and I studied. Everything should be fine. He is one hell of a tutor, though.

When I got to biology, everything came flooding back. Especially once Kyoya walked in. I could make my biology exam my bitch after that. Genetic coding was on his left bicep. Cardiovascular notes were on his right bicep. Reproduction on his chest…Strip studying worked like a charm. Kyoya whispered breathy wishes of good luck to me followed by a little kiss on my forehead. And shortly after, it was time…That moment of truth where I'd occasionally have to look over at him, trying to focus on the words written on him. I got this. I can do this.

Once a long day of exams and hell was over, there was only one place left to be. There was only one place in the whole world I wanted to be. Somewhere nice and calm and quiet to unwind where nothing's going to go wrong. There's going to be no yelling. Nothing's going to freak me out. Nothing bad could possibly happen in the confines of one room in the entire school.

"Lana!" Tamaki jumped me. I spoke too soon. None of the guests had come in yet, but then again, I wasn't the commonwealth in that respect.

"Jesus," I caught my breath, "What, Tamaki?"

But then, I took a quick look around the room, doing a headcount. Let's see. Hikaru and Kaoru spooning in the corner. Mori letting Honey nap in his lap. Haruhi's setting up tables. And of course, Tamaki's clinging to me. That left us one short. The most important host there is in this little group. And no doubt, that's Tamaki's main concern.

"Do you know where Kyoya is?" Yep. Thought so.

"I haven't seen him since biology," I thought. He seemed fine when I saw him then, "Do you need me to go look for him?"

"No, no," he stopped me, "You shouldn't have to do that. His girlfriend or not, this is still a club matter."

"Tamaki," I put things into perspective, doing my best to still protect Kyoya, "If Kyoya's not here yet and possibly in a terrible mood, wouldn't you rather me take that bullet than you?"

"Of course not!" Tamaki hugged me tight. Against my will, "I wouldn't want to put you in harm's way like that!"

"He bites, Tamaki."

"Alright," he let me go, "Do you know where he'd be?"

"Duh," I walked off with a knot in my stomach, "If I don't have an idea of where Kyoya is regularly, what kind of girlfriend am I?"

"A not stalker?" the twins chimed in.

"No one asked you, peanut gallery!" I yelled at them, being careful not to wake Honey. He gets very cranky when someone wakes up from a nap, so I've heard. I refuse to be on the receiving end of that, "I'll be right back. Hopefully, I'll have Kyoya with me."

"We were supposed to open ten minutes ago," Tamaki got nervous, "I hope he's alright."

"I'm sure he's fine." When did I start playing Kyoya? Telling everyone what they wanted to hear just to keep them calm. It's strange. Now, if I were Kyoya and it was the time for finals, plus I were planning the host club graduation party on top of that, where would I be? The mere thought broke me inside, but it's a start. The dressing rooms. I hope he's not in there, but every single gut instinct I had told me, he was there. And the heavy breathing I knew all too well confirmed my suspicions.

"Kyoya?" I knocked on the door, "Can I come in?"

"No."

Well…That was a bit of a surprise. What a shocking turn of events. Kyoya refusing help? How did I never see that coming? Oh wait…I did. And it only made my nauseam worse. Instead of leaving him alone, I sat outside the curtain sliding my hand underneath it, "Are you sure?"

A soft sob came from the other side. Was…Was Kyoya crying? Slowly, his hand wrapped around mine, "No…"

I couldn't, in good conscience, leave him in there by himself. Despite it going against his wishes, I joined Kyoya in the dressing room. My god, did this boy look like an absolute mess. Kyoya looked like he was about to come out of his skin right then and there. And all I could think to do was hold him. He didn't break down often, but when he did, my whole world crumbled along with him. I hated seeing him like that, but sometimes, it had to happen.

"You want to talk to me?" I offered. He just shook his head in my shoulder. Kyoya trembled like a puppy left out in the rain. The last one of these I saw was bad, but this? This one was much worse. And I only held him tighter. Kyoya didn't deserve this. I didn't deserve this. But how we persevere will forever baffle me, "Alright. I know better. I won't make you. But can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"How long have you been bad like this?" I asked, cutting right to the chase, "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"All week," Kyoya's voice was still raspy, but he was coming around again.

"Do you know how many times?" I worried.

"Two or three…"

"Kyoya," I cradled him delicately, "You know our relationship works as a two-way street, right? That I can come to you and you can come to me any time of the day, right?"

"I know," he nodded, "But that two or three…That was nightly…"

"Kyoya," I thought for a minute, "Wait a minute…Nightly?"

"Yeah."

"But," I remembered, "You've stayed with…I'm such an IDIOT!"

"No, you're not," he assured.

"Yes, I am!" I started to spiral, "I've been through it for the past SEVEN YEARS and I couldn't see it happening right in front of my face. How stupid do I have to be?"

"Lana," Kyoya stopped me, "None of it's been your fault. I'm just very good at hiding it. My anxiety's gotten the best of me in the middle of the host club before, but no one could ever tell. You're not an idiot. And this isn't your fault. I've just had a lot on my plate again. Between graduation and exams and the impending news of my enrollment at NYU has been weighing heavier on my mind than it should be."

"What's been the worst part?" I asked.

"NYU, if we're being honest," he vented, "My entire family are doctors and I'm going into fine arts. I'm scared. That's going to make me the family black sheep. Or my father will see it as me going through a phase, write it off, and still force me into med school. The latter is more likely."

"You got another family, Kyoya," I reminded him, curling into his lap. And I see my plan worked like a charm. Although I wasn't exactly in a good mindset anyway, nothing will snap Kyoya out of a breakdown like seeing me having one, too, "You got us. You know that, right? Family black sheep or not, you're far from it here."

"Hey," Kyoya suggested, "How about you and I skip out on the host club for today?"

"Perfect," I agreed, "If you weren't going to say it, I would."

"We'll go get snacks," he elaborated, "Take a walk. Sound good to you?"

"Better than hanging around the host club after something like this," I helped him up, "You want me to go tell the others or are you going to do that?"

"Can I blame it on you?" Kyoya winced, "Just to save face here?"

"Go ahead," I allowed, "I'll be waiting outside. And just as a suggestion…"

"What?" he looked closely while I dug in my bag.

"Here," I pulled out a bottle of eyedrops, "You might want this. You look like you just hung out in my sister's apartment when she was in her mid-twenties. She doesn't remember much of that summer."

"Thank you," Kyoya graciously accepted the bottle, using them generously. When he put them back in my bag, Kyoya pulled me in for a deep, tender kiss, "I love you, Lana."

"I love you, too," I squeezed his hand a bit, "I'll wait outside."

"Ok."

The two of us parted ways for the time being and I sat on the front steps of Ouran Academy. I just hope Tamaki isn't too pissed with us skipping. If Kyoya's pinning the whole thing on me, it shouldn't be too bad. Tamaki would do anything for me just like Kyoya would. Any member of the host club would take a bullet for me, I fear.

Once everything was squared away there, Kyoya and I decided to take an impromptu trip to Shinjuku. Why not? We had each other. We managed to score snacks on the way there. Life was good. And to make matters better, I was about to see one of my favorite people in the whole wide world. If anyone could put Kyoya's head back on straight (and my own, for that matter), it'd be her.

Ding!

"Watashi wa anata to tomoni imashou (I'll be right with you)," a familiar voice chimed, "Yoshi-kun! Kokyaku ga iru! (We have customers)."

"Rhi, it's us!" I yelled to her.

"Hi, baby!" my sister ran to me, hugging me tight, "What brings you kids in here? Shouldn't you be doing host club stuff right now?"

"We're skipping," Kyoya explained, "Things have been taking their toll lately, so we thought we'd come here."

"Hi, Kyoya," Yoshi came out from the back, "What brings you in here?"

"Why else?" a dirty smirk stretched across his face, "I want a tattoo."

"Excuse me?" Rhiannon squealed. That even caught me off guard. Kyoya didn't do things out of left field like that.

"You heard me," he reiterated, lifting up the bottom of his shirt, "Somewhere in this general area."

"Your ribs, Kyoya?" Yoshi worried, "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah," Kyoya nodded, "Why?"

"I've been begging you to get one for ages," he pointed out, "But now, out of the blue, you're in?"

"Yeah," he looked over at me, "That is alright with you, isn't it?"

"Sure," I cringed, "But are you a hundred percent sure you want to do this?"

"I've had an idea rattling around my head for a while now," Kyoya admitted, "And with the way today has been, this could be very therapeutic."

Kyoya's doing this for the pain. Although an unhealthy solution, it could be a whole hell of a lot worse. And ideally, something beautiful comes out of it, "Alright. What are you getting?"

"I was thinking a rose," he gave me his uniform blazer and started to unbutton his shirt, "A lavender rose. On my ribs. Lana, you can draw flowers, can't you?"

"Yeah," I started getting jittery, "But what's that got to do with anything?"

"I designed yours," Kyoya smiled, "It's only fair."

"They're not very good," I bit my lip.

"Yes, they are," Rhiannon went up to bat for me, "Especially your roses."

"Think about it," Kyoya teased, "How many times have I drawn on you?"

"More than I can count," I admitted.

"And how many have you drawn on me?"

"Never."

"Shall we then?" Kyoya peeled off his shirt and I, along with my sister, started drooling. God, Kyoya was nicely cut.

"Ok," I took a marker off Rhiannon's bench and started drawing a soft, simple rose on Kyoya's ribcage. I couldn't believe he was doing this. I don't think he even realizes he's doing this. Although, as soon as I made my first line, he jerked, "Kyoya, stay still."

"I'm sorry," he giggled a bit to himself, "It tickles."

"Welcome to my world," I jabbed.

"Seriously, Kyoya," Rhiannon got nervous, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Kyoya promised, keeping still for me, "I'm of sound mind. I've put no chemicals in my body today that weren't completely necessary. And I'm doing this of my own free will."

"Alright," she let it go, "Which one of us is doing it?"

"I am," Yoshi wasn't even going to let that go up for debate, "Rhiannon, I adore you, but you're never going to put a needle to Kyoya Ootori as long as I'm breathing."

"He's right, Rhiannon," Kyoya agreed, "I trust you to do a good job, but I also trust Yoshi with my life."

"I understand," Rhiannon allowed, "Go ahead."

"Are you ready, Kyoya?" Yoshi asked, "Because you know this is going to hurt. You were there when Lana got hers from what I've heard."

"I'll be fine," Kyoya put his hand in mine, "I'm ready."

"Alright," Yoshi started working on Kyoya's ribs and Kyoya stayed right with me. Occasionally, I'd get a wince out of him, but for the most part, my baby was a trooper and I'm proud of him. When I first walked into the host club, I never thought he'd be the one to get tattoos. My money was on Mori. But no. Kyoya was the first (not including me). I guess what I told him really struck a chord.

Once we got back to my place, Kyoya found my bed and an ice pack. And I wasn't going to let him lay in there all by himself. I cuddled into him, being careful around his ribs, "You're more of a man than I am, Kyoya Ootori. You didn't have to call your doctor like I did."

"I should have, though," he confessed, "Yuuichi doesn't see me without my shirt on very often, so I should be in the clear."

"You know," I thought, "We're graduating tomorrow."

"Yes, we are," Kyoya gave me a kiss, "And I'm so glad we got to spend our last year together."

"Me, too," I agreed, "But now, we have the entire rest of our lives to look at."

"One day at a time, Lana," he knew I was about to get ugly, "One day at a time…"

 **A/N: One. This turned out a lot longer than I thought it would. Two: It came out a lot later than I thought it would. Three. HOLY SHIT KYOYA WENT AND GOT HIMSELF A TATTOO! I'm so happy about that. And that he got his rose of all things. And that Lana drew it on for him! Yay! I think our little boy is growing up. And I'm proud of him. But for now, I'm going to start on the update for tomorrow and maybe get some sleep. See you next chapter! xx**


	45. Pomp and Circumstance

**A/N: Oooh, buddy. This is going to be a doozy of a chapter. A lot of shit's going down in this chapter and I want you all to be patient with me.**

Here it was. A day most high school students beg and plead for. And here I was, staring blankly at my ceiling in total disbelief. Today was the day. It would've been nice to get some decent sleep last night, but to no avail. On a more positive note, though, I did have Kyoya here. He'd kill me if he knew how much sleep I didn't get last night, but he didn't need to know that, did he? I'm sure he was still probably drained from yesterday. Even when Yoshi was carefully etching Kyoya's rose into his skin, he hardly flinched. Adrenaline, maybe?

Either way, I don't think he realizes he got it in the first place. Kyoya was so wrapped up in his head that he might have gotten it out of spite. I had to admit, though. It was still just as beautiful this morning as what it was last night. If it wouldn't piss Rhiannon off to no end, I'd ask Yoshi to do something for me before Kyoya and I leave town. Instead, I'd just take care of him for now. I ran my cool hand up his side and over his ribs.

"Lana," Kyoya mumbled, still half asleep, "If you're going to touch it, you'll have to scratch it, too."

"I can't scratch it," I kissed his cheek, "What I can do, though, is ice it for you."

"I still can't believe I did it," his eyes started to open up, "It itches like hell."

"I know," i got up and went into the kitchen, "I'm surprised you didn't get it over your scar like I did. You want hellish tattoo itches? That, my love, is absolute hell."

"I can only imagine," Kyoya empathized, "But God, help me. This is killing me, Lana. A little quicker on the ice, please?"

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" I ran back into my bedroom with a Ziploc bag full of ice wrapped up in a kitchen towel. Gently, I pressed it into my boyfriend's bare skin, "There. How's that?"

"I love you," he let out a heavy sigh of relief, "You're a saint, Lana. Let no one tell you otherwise."

"You're welcome," I giggled to myself.

"Seriously," he moaned out, "You have no idea how good this feels. If I wasn't so content right now and we didn't have graduation in a couple hours, I would take you right here and now."

"There's the kind of sexy talk I'm looking for," I teased, crawling back in bed, "So...Graduation day."

"It's about time," Kyoya pulled me back to his chest, "How are you feeling?"

"Anxious," I reported, "Excited, but anxious. What about you? How are you doing? After yesterday, you had me nervous."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he covered me in kisses, "I didn't mean to do that to you."

"But you meant to avoid my question," I loved him to death, but I wasn't letting Kyoya off the hook that easily. Especially when he tries to work his host charms on me. He really should know better by now, "Come on, baby. Talk to me."

"I'm a lot better than I was yesterday," Kyoya came clean, "I still have to tell my father about NYU today."

"You can do it," I reassured him, "You know I'll be here if you need anything. And at the end of the day, it's your life, not his."

"So, what you're saying is," he thought, "I should do me and not worry about what everyone else wants?"

"Exactly," I rewarded him with another kiss, "Just remember that and you'll be fine."

"And this, my love," Kyoya held me a little tighter, "is why I love you."

"I love you, too," I hid a smile in his shoulder. I guess he really was doing better.

If I had my way, I'd lay right here for the day. The sun shining in my room. My boyfriend wrapped around me in only a way he could. The combination of the two was absolutely intoxicating. To think, this would be an everyday thing very soon. Just Kyoya and me every morning and every night. God, I couldn't wait for us to be in New York.

"Lana!" And that. There's probably going to be more of that than I'll like, but after a while, I'm sure neither of us will mind, "Your ass better be awake. Because I only have two hours to get you ready and I'll probably need every minute of it."

"Son of a bitch," I groaned in Kyoya's arm, "In here, Rhiannon..."

"Good morning, sweetie," my sister came into my room and immediately covered her eyes, "Oh my...Am I interrupting some morning sexy time?"

"Just a little light cuddling," Kyoya clarified, "All very PG."

"Alright," she settled down, "How's your flower heeling up, Kyoya?"

"Do you know any way to keep it from itching so bad?" he wondered, "Other than icing it. I'm afraid of getting frostbite."

"Unscented lotion," Rhiannon suggested, "And yes. It has to be unscented. Now, Lana, I have a big ass case in your living room with your name on it."

"Sounds like fun and unnecessary torture," I figured.

"And I'm not going to have your sass." Somehow, I had a phantom pain of a ruler being smacked on my knuckles, "I was in Harajuku the other day with Ranka. He sends his love, by the way. I picked you up a little something, something fun."

"Ok," a knot started forming in my stomach. I always joked about Ranka and Rhiannon being left unattended, but I never thought it would ever come to fruition, "Define something fun…"

"You'll see," she promised, taking my arm, "Come on! I've been looking forward to this since I got here."

"Rhiannon," Kyoya stepped in, knowing how to work my sister almost as well as I do, "I appreciate the advice for my tattoo, but remember. Lana is still a person."

"I know," Rhiannon smirked, "Any requests, Kyoya?"

"No requests," Kyoya allowed, "As long as she still looks human and like my beloved little angel I know, I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Hi," I waved, "Hello. I'm still here."

"I see that," she helped me out of bed, "In that case, since your boyfriend is remaining neutral, Lana, do you trust my judgment?"

"Not even a little bit."

"Well, then, Bob's your uncle!" Rhiannon squealed, "Let's get started!"

"Bob's your uncle?" I wondered, "You really have been hanging around Elliot a lot more often, haven't you?"

"I just did a Brit, didn't I?" she giggled.

"I'm pretty sure you already had that taken care of."

"Oi!" Rhiannon glared, catching herself, "I did it again. I'm not doing it on purpose. I swear! Dammit, Elliot. Whatever. Come on!"

Before my sister had the chance to pull me away, I got one last kiss from my boyfriend, "Pray for me. If I don't come out of this alive, tell my boyfriend I love him."

"I have a feeling he already knows," he chuckled to himself, "You'll be fine. I promise."

"Fine," I surrendered to my sister's relentless tugging on my arm and she pulled me into my living room, "Alright, Rhi. do your worst."

"You insult me, dear sister," Rhiannon started mixing God knows what for me, "Sit. Like I said. Lot of work to do and not enough time. I would've been over earlier, but bless his heart, Elliot talked me out of it. Something about how bean doesn't need Mama to stress herself out too much."

"Rhiannon," I pointed out, "You do know Mom and Dad are here, right?"

"I got Mom's text," she sectioned off my hair, separating the top layer from the bottom layer, "And yes, I know..."

"What do you know?" I nudged her along. Come on, Rhi...You're almost there...

"I have to tell Mom and Dad about the baby," Rhiannon grumbled, "And I will! Maybe not today, though. This isn't about me. It's about you whether you like it or not."

"I understand," I nodded, "But..."

"Lana, keep your head still!" she snapped, swatting me on the top of my head with what looked like a clean paintbrush.

"Sorry," I bit my lip, watching my Adonis of a boyfriend walk out of my bedroom with his shirt in his hand, "Where do you think you're running off to?"

"I'm not running anywhere," Kyoya assured, giving me my tea and my breakfast of champions, "I'm going home for a bit. I'll be back in a little while to check on you. Your parents will probably be the ones taking you to graduation, right?"

"More than likely," I figured, squirming under Kyoya's lips on my forehead, "I love you."

"I love you, too," he cradled my face in the palm of his hand, "And I'll see you soon. Rhiannon, play nice. Try not to get carried away."

"No promises," Rhiannon brushed him off, "Swear to God, Kyoya. You sound like Elliot."

"If I had to be compared to someone," he shrugged, "Good luck, Lana."

"Thanks, baby." And just like that, my safety net was gone. Lord, help me.

Because telling Rhiannon not to get carried away is going to make her spite reflex kick up even worse. With a mischievous glint in her eye, she got to work. Minor surgery would've been better. Something I could still be awake for. Right now, Rhiannon had the discipline of a Russian ballet teacher and the sense of righteousness of a Catholic nun. Mixing that with her usual personality smelled like a radioactive concoction that makes supervillains happen. At this point in the game, it's best that I just play dead and let Rhiannon do whatever she wants. Every other time she's done this for me, I've managed to come out on the other side. And Kyoya did say as long as I still look human. Then again, it is Rhiannon.

I muttered a little prayer and let her go. I had no idea what she was doing, but I'm sure I'll be ok. Occasional texts from Kyoya set my mind at ease and the picture of the dog from Ritsu helped. The dog was a good boy. And I swear to God, that boy knew when I needed random dog pictures. Especially when the cold shock of the water hit the back of my neck and Rhiannon had my head in the sink.

Very reminiscent of this time I was in London and a pair of mischievous brothers decided to kidnap me for the day to spoil the hell out of me. It's alright, Lana. You'll be fine. You have the good boy and Kyoya and even once in a while, you have Tamaki checking in on his little girl. Trust her judgment. She knows what she's doing. She knows your limits. Just space out and let her be.

By the time Rhiannon finished, we still had ten minutes to kill before we even had to think about leaving. So, I did the best thing I could do. I took the tea set Yuuichi left me as a housewarming present and made a pot of green tea. I still had yet to see myself and something tells me I'll need something to settle my nerves. Nothing does that quite like a good green tea.

"Well, my dear little sister," Rhiannon kicked her swelling feet up on my kitchen table. I'm sure now is the time where I pass down some words of wisdom to the impressionable future, yeah?"

"Graduation hasn't even started yet," I sighed out, "And I'm beat."

"You and me both, kid," she agreed, taking slow sips from her tea cup. I could see it in her eyes. Rhiannon was freaked. The whole business with telling Mom and Dad about the baby had her terrified. And I refused to idly sit by and allow such a thing to happen.

"Hey," I took my sister's hand, "We can do this. I know we can. We've done it before."

"Come here," Rhiannon threw her arms around me, her embrace shakier that I was comfortable. Yep. She's a wreck inside, "I love you, Lana. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd be ok," I assured, "You have Elliot, too. Not just me. And I'm sure the host club is for hire."

"I thought this was supposed to be me doing this for you."

"That's too damn bad," I helped her up, "We should probably get going."

"Alright," Rhiannon stumbled a step or two, gaining her balance, and we met up with our parents out front of the school. Graduation was being held on the front lawn of Ouran Academy, just as the invitations said. Lucky for me, I got to break away from my parents and find my friends before they found me. Better yet, in our seating arrangement, Tamaki was only a couple seats down from me. And Kyoya was exactly a row in front of me.

"Hi there," Kyoya pulled me into his arms.

"Hi," I buried my head in his chest, "Ready?"

"Are you?"

"Fair enough," I got a quick kiss.

"Wow, Lana," Tamaki took me away from Kyoya, giving me a little spin, "You look cute today."

"Rhiannon did a nice job," Kyoya picked up a lock of my hair, hitting me in the nose with it. A light purple…Very cheeky, Rhiannon. I like it. It matches Kyoya's side very nicely.

"I wouldn't know," I admitted, "She wouldn't let me look in a mirror."

"Because you'd probably kill her," he teased, "But you, as always, are absolutely adorable."

"Thank you," I smiled, "Shall we then?"

"Might as well get this over with."

"And just as a heads up," I warned, "My parents are here."

"So are mine," Kyoya steadied me, "We'll be alright. Ok?"

"Ok," I nodded, "And if I get too bad, I'll let you know."

"Or me," Tamaki jumped in, "I'm only a couple seats down, Lana. And I'm sure I can take care of you as well as Kyoya could."

"Oh, sweetie," I winced, "You mean well, but I don't think you could. Kyoya knows what wires to rub together and which ones to cut."

"That's a little vulgar."

"Not like that!" I rolled my eyes, "I appreciate the sentiment, Tamaki, but I don't think you can take care of me as well as Kyoya. That doesn't necessarily mean you couldn't take care of me."

"I'll take it!" Tamaki smothered me with love and adoration.

Before we knew it, graduation came and went like nothing happened. I looked inside the little, leather bound folder in my hands. That was my high school diploma. All the years of me busting my ass to get the grades I got to get into the college I never thought I'd get in a million years. It all led up to this little leather folder…How anticlimactic.

"Lana!" my sister spotted me, hugging me tight, "I'm so proud of you, baby."

"Thanks, Rhi," I choked out, "How are you so strong?"

"Look at you!" she continued squealing, "Graduate of the prestigious Ouran Academy. Future ivy league student. You make me so proud!"

"There you are, Rhiannon," Dad's voice broke through the mixed chatter of the crowd, "At least you found Lana. Congratulations, sweetheart."

"Thanks, Dad," I still didn't understand the feeling of pomp and circumstance these things were supposed to invoke, but fake it until you make it, right?

"We are proud of you, Lana," Mom gave me a quick, obligatory hug, "You should've seen it from our seats."

"Yeah," Dad chuckled, "Rhiannon started bawling halfway through. You hadn't even gotten your diploma yet."

"Cut her some slack," I immediately jumped to her defense. I know exactly why she got emotional so easily.

"Why?" he glared at me. Along with Rhiannon. I exchanged glances with my sister. I knew she was going to strangle me for it, but she needed the push.

"Because," Rhiannon sighed out, "My hormones have been up and down for the past four months."

"Is everything alright?" Mom worried.

"Rhiannon…" Dad started piecing things together, "Why have your hormones been up and down for the past four months?"

"Guess," she rolled her eyes, "Because I'm pregnant, Dad. I'm due in September."

"Did you know?" Dad asked Mom.

"No," Mom shook her head, "This is the first I'm hearing anything."

"Can we not give me the third degree right now?" Rhiannon begged, "Not today."

"Do you at least know who the father is, Rhiannon?" Dad scoffed, well aware of his daughter's lifestyle. And simultaneously disgusted by it.

"Yes," Rhiannon bit her tongue, ready to call him every name in the book. However, she kept her temper in check. And I'm proud of her, "I've been dating him since December officially, but I've known him a lot longer than that."

"I guess we can count that as a blessing," Mom sighed, "But congratulations, Rhiannon. When can we meet him?"

"You've already met him," she assured, "But I can bring him by once we're both back in the States."

"He's foreign, too?" Dad's forehead sported a deep blue vein right about now.

"My boyfriend's foreign," I stepped in.

"He hasn't knocked you up, though," he pointed out. But then, Dad looked me over, "Or has he and you're going to wait to tell me like your sister did?"

"No," I promised, "I'm not pregnant."

"Not now," Rhiannon repeated her plea, "Not the time and not the place."

"Um…Lana?" a sweet, little voice called out, tapping me on the shoulder. I turned around to see a big eyed, dark haired girl dressed in light blue in front of me.

"Hi…" I gave her a look, "Do I know you?"

"You mean the outfit?" she groaned, sounding a bit more familiar, "Yeah. That was Senpai's idea. I had no say in it. Once he and my dad put me in a corner, there's no way I'm getting out of it."

"Oh!" I came to my senses, "Haruhi…Hi. Sorry."

"It's no problem," she smiled, "Come on. Kyoya-senpai's looking for you, too. And you have to come with us, too, Rhiannon."

"No problem," Rhiannon agreed without another thought, "We'll be back at Lana's in a little while."

"I actually have a graduation party to go to tonight," I admitted, "So, I might be out later."

"Alright," Dad allowed, "Even though we flew all this way for you…"

"I know," I nodded, "And you'll have me. Just not right now. And maybe not tonight."

"Whatever," he shooed me away, "Go. Have fun."

I grabbed Rhiannon's hand and bolted with Haruhi. My gut had a feeling of where we were going, but we couldn't run long. Once we got inside, Rhiannon was out of breath, doubled over, "Bean, Mama loves you, but just because she's running doesn't mean you have to run, too."

"You ok, Rhiannon?" Haruhi worried.

"That's a very touchy question, Haruhi," her voice shook, "How long do you have?"

"Hey," I helped her back up, "It's Mom and Dad. We know how they are, but we can't let them win. Do you remember telling me that?"

"A few days after your diagnosis," Rhiannon remembered, "Dad was going on about how your doctors were a bunch of hooey and just a way for the medical industry to cash in on the insurance. Don't use my words against me, kid. Dick move."

But she needed that dick move. Because I saw it put a smile on her face. In that moment, I knew we'd be ok. Rhiannon and I followed Haruhi up the stairs (slowly. Rhi was still pretty beat.) and toward the one place in the entire school they couldn't get us. The one place we knew would always be absolutely safe for either one of us.

"There you two are," Kyoya's voice melted my very core. Without even thinking about it, I fell into his lap. I didn't even realize everyone else was already here, too, "Thank you, Haruhi."

"No problem," Haruhi did the same, resting her head on Tamaki's shoulder, perfectly content with the world.

"Wow, Lana," the twins harmonized, "You look super cute today, too!"

"Thanks, boys," I curled into Kyoya a little more, "That's Rhi's fault. Feel free to blame her."

"Lana?" Kyoya looked down at me, "Are you ok?"

"We just dealt with my parents, Kyoya," I told him, "And they just found out about Rhiannon, so…"

"Needless to say," Rhiannon made herself comfortable, kicking both her shoes across the room, "They're exhausting."

"I'm sorry," Kyoya snuggled me, knowing I needed it, "Have you gotten a hold of Elliot recently, Rhiannon?"

"Just talked to him this morning," she confirmed, "I could stand to talk to him again, but there's no way in hell he's up. Can we have a little brighter topic of conversation please? Before I start crying again."

"I can't believe it's already been a year since we graduated, Takashi," Honey thought, "It feels like we're still here…"

"And by this time next year," Tamaki assumed, giving me a little nudge with his foot, "You two are going to be finishing up your first year at NYU, right?"

"Actually," I bit my bottom lip, "I didn't get into NYU…We're not going to NYU together."

"Lana," Kyoya gave me a little reassuring squeeze, "It's alright. We had that talk. Your campus is only thirty minutes away, remember?"

"So, you'll still be going to school in New York, Lana?" Haruhi asked.

"Yeah," I smiled again, "I got into Columbia…That's ivy league."

"Congratulations!" Tamaki dropped his girlfriend to scoop me up in his arms, "Look at her! Daddy's other little girl is going off to an ivy league school! I'm so proud!"

"Taaaa…Maaa...Kiiii…..." I started getting dizzy, "Put…Me…..Dooowwwnn! Kyo….Ya…Do…Some…Thing…Be…Fore…I…Throw…Up!"

Before I knew it, the room stopped spinning and I was in Mori's arms instead of Tamaki's. He helped me keep my balance and my lunch down as I wobbled back to where I was sitting. I squeezed my eyes shut as tight as I could, restoring my equilibrium. I know he's excitable, but there has to be some sort of limits with him.

"Are you ok, Lana?" Mori asked.

"Getting there," I took a few breaths, "But I'll be fine. Tamaki, I love you, but never do that again."

"Sorry…"

"You know," I regained my bearings, "This is going to be the last time we'll all be in this room together for a while."

"You're right," Kyoya nodded, "It's strange to think about it."

"If that's not the truth," Tamaki agreed, his arms tightening around his girlfriend, "Are you going to miss me, Haruhi?"

"I'll still see you regularly, Senpai," she reminded him, "Nothing's changing."

"Except for Lana and me moving to New York," Kyoya added, "It seems that my host club stock is about to go down."

"How are we going to go on without you, Kyoya?" Tamaki lamented, "You've held us together all these years. And now…You'll be…You'll be…"

"Don't start crying on me, Tamaki," Kyoya rolled his eyes, "And you'll have Haruhi to keep you all in line. She can do it as well as me. Not to mention, she'll also have Renge at her disposal."

"Yikes," the twins cringed.

"Kyoya…" the room dropped an instant ten degrees and Kyoya sat up a little straighter, "What are you doing in here?"

"I…I was…"

"Rhetorical," the man made eye contact with me and I had to suppress another wave of nauseam, "You…I've seen you before…I saw you in Yuuichi's office."

"Yes," I confirmed, "I remember."

"Why are you so close to my son?" Happy place, Lana. Happy place, "You're practically in his lap."

"Because," I found my happy place, "I'm in love with him."

Everyone else froze. Except Rhiannon, but she also didn't know any better. I knew exactly who was standing in front of me and after dealing with my parents today, I had no reason to be afraid of him, "Is that so?"

"Yes, it is," I nodded.

"In that case," he suggested…No…More or less demanded, "I want you to join us for dinner this evening, Miss Smith."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Ootori," I kept Kyoya as calm as I could, running my hand behind me and up his shirt, right about where his rose was, "I have plans for this evening. Perhaps tomorrow would work better."

"Tomorrow then," he jumped on it, "Kyoya, we're leaving."

"Yes, sir," Kyoya obliged. I've never seen him so compliant before, "If it's alright, could I say goodbye?"

"I guess," his father allowed, "I'll be outside. Don't keep me waiting."

"I won't," he promised as the door closed behind him, "I'm sorry you had to do that, Lana."

"Don't worry about it," I gave him a soft, gentle kiss, "I love you. And I'll see you tonight."

"I love you, too," Kyoya waved behind him, sending his love to the rest of the group.

"Is it me," Rhiannon thought out loud, "Or is that guy a massive dick? Tell me I'm not the only one getting dick vibes from him."

To make a long story short, she wasn't.

 **A/N: I need to cut it off here or it's going to go on another two thousand words and we can't have that. Next week, we're going to have a doozy of a chapter, too. I still have half the outline from this left, but I'm tired and I have an update to do tomorrow. If you're lucky, I might get bored on Saturday and hook a sister up with the other half and STILL give you a chapter Tuesday, but don't count on it. And don't pester me for it or I'll be sad. But, because a lot of shit went down in this chapter, a recap.**

 **1.) Lana, Kyoya, and Tamaki have officially graduated from Ouran Academy. Praise Jesus.**

 **2.) Rhiannon told Mommy and Daddy about the little bean. They took it as her whoring around and making an accident. A+ parenting.**

 **3.) Lana kind of grew a pair, so she didn't have to see her boyfriend suffer. And that's going to cost her dinner at the Ootori estate in the next update.**

 **But I am proud of my babies. They've come so far. I mean, my god, look at Lana from chapter one of Kiss, Kiss to now. I applaud her resolve and hope to develop that myself one day. But for now, I have an update to outline for tomorrow and sleep to get, so I'll see you next chapter. xx**


	46. To New Beginnings

**A/N: You guys remember, not this past April, but the one before it, when we all met? I was in a pissed off mood and anxious to all hell, but then, we got together and things started to suck a little less? I mean, they still sucked, but we had that solidarity? The feeling that we weren't all suffering alone? That was a beautiful thing. I just hope you can all keep that going when I'm no longer posting. Maybe I'll post internet therapy through a different story, a different fandom. Maybe even an original. But what kind of douche canoe posts a story and makes themselves the main character? Pff…*nervously sweats bullets while staring at her Black Butler fic* Anyway…I'll get a little mushier later, but I'm just going to say this. I've been sitting on the ending of this story since June and I love it so much and I can't wait for you all to see this. So, I'm going to shut up now. Savor this chapter, friends…**

As much as I loved hanging around the host club, I had something else in mind for tonight's party. No party like a host club party. And I would have to dress the part, right? I mean, I am dating one of the hosts. After Haruhi, I was their princess. Every princess needed a proper ballgown. I got a dress from the same store I got my bondage dress in Harajuku. Only this one was white and lacier. Rhiannon had more of a hand in this one. Her suggested amount of tulle only added to its twisted innocence.

I couldn't help but do some spins in the mirror. My sister had an eye for these kinds of things. If she was in town, I'd introduce Rhiannon to Yuzuha. Rhi would bawl. I'm sure she'll be my date tonight. My usual plus one is already a host. Why not bring an outsider? Although, I'm sure we could count Rhiannon as an unofficial member like me. I wonder if I could bring a plus two. Then, I could bring, Ritsu, too. Regardless, I could still probably bring him. Where did I put my phone?

"Yeah?"

"Hi, Ritsu," I dug around in my sister's makeup bag that she was so kind to leave here.

"Hey, Lana," Ritsu changed his usual argumentative tone, "What's up?"

"Are you busy tonight?" I asked, holding my phone between my ear and my shoulder.

"Not that I know of," he thought for a minute, "Why?"

"Will you come over?" I begged, "I need a friend and my sister went MIA."

"What about Kyoya?" Ritsu suggested.

"I'll see him later," I dug deeper, looking for Rhi's good eyeliner, "He's got other stuff going on right now."

"What about Haruhi?" he wondered, "I thought you two were best friends."

"She's with Tamaki right now." At least I think she is, "Just come over. Please?"

"Fine," he caved, "I'll be over in about ten minutes, ok?"

"I'll leave my door unlocked," I grinned victoriously.

"Like hell, you will!" Ritsu scolded, "I know you live in a safe neighborhood, Lana, but you never know what kind of weirdos are out walking around."

"Alright," I let out a heavy sigh, feeling like a puppy that just got hit in the nose with a newspaper, "If you knock, I'll unlock the door."

"Thank you..."

"I'll see you soon!"

Click.

I was really going to miss Ritsu. Who else was I going to hang out with when I'm in between classes and Kyoya's not? Rhiannon? She'll probably be working or taking care of the baby. If Ritsu wasn't younger than us, I'd ask him to come with us. Something tells me he'd fit in like a glove in New York. As long as his yakuza history doesn't come back to haunt him.

Knock, knock.

Speak of the devil. I finished the last few brushstrokes of my eyeliner and got the door, "Hi, Ritsu."

"Hi, Lana," Ritsu covered his nose like it was reflex. I couldn't help but giggle a little bit. Honestly, that's what I was looking for. With the host club party tonight, I wanted to look drop dead sexy. And there was only one surefire way of finding out if I met my own standards. Unfortunately, it came from how much blood came out of poor little Ritsu's nose.

"One day, Ritsu," I got a warm washcloth and held it under his nose, "One day. It sucks that I won't be here much longer to do this for you. You'll have to do this on your own."

"What are you all cuted up for?" Ritsu spun me around, "You got a date tonight?"

"Yep," I regained my balance, "And whether you like it or not, you're coming with me."

"What?" he froze, "What do you mean, I'm coming with you? Is everything ok with you and Kyoya?"

"Everything's fine," I assured, "I'm not mad at him. I'm not working through some daddy issues and using you to do that. Look, the host club is throwing a graduation party for Tamaki, Kyoya, and me and I know host club parties aren't really your thing, but it'd mean a lot to me if you'd..."

"Absolutely," Ritsu cut me off, "You're not going to be around much longer, Lana. Soon, you'll be in New York with Kyoya and...well...I...I'm not good with sentimentality!"

"Take your time," I allowed, "No need to burst a blood vessel."

Without another word, Ritsu held me tight against his chest. His arms were terrified to let me go. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he might have been crying a little. I guess Ritsu really wasn't good with sentimental things. I laid my head in his chest, doing my best to offer what comfort I could to him.

"I'm going to miss the hell out of you, Lana," his voice shook, "Why do you have to be leaving so soon? And you'll be so far away."

"Only a couple flights away," I promised, "It'll be alright."

"All the way in New York, though," Ritsu whined.

"I don't care if it's two in the morning, Ritsu," I rolled my eyes, "If you want to come see me, you're more than welcome to. It'll be great."

"But you're going to an ivy league school," he pointed out, "You'll probably make all kinds of new, smart friends and us hanging out would get weird."

"Just when I thought you knew me so well," I giggled a bit, "Ritsu, I'll still be me. And you really think I'm going to be social? Oh, honey. You're so cute."

"So..." Ritsu took my hand, "I'll have nothing to worry about?"

"Of course not," I smiled, "Now, I have one more thing to ask you."

"What's that, Lana?"

"Promise me you'll try to have some fun tonight," I begged, "For me?"

"Yeah," he grumbled to himself, "I will."

"And no picking fights with people," I stipulated, "And no telling my sister she's fat."

"That was one time!"

"But still..."

"I won't," Ritsu snuggled me, "For you."

"Thank you," I grabbed my bag off the couch, "You ready?"

"We're leaving now?" he wondered, "Just us?"

"That was the plan," I locked the door behind me.

"What?" Ritsu joked, "No host club limo?"

"Doesn't look like it."

"You're right," he corrected himself, "Knowing those guys, it'd be more excessive like a horse drawn carriage or something."

"Yeah," I chuckled nervously, freezing up by the motorcycle in front of my building.

"Lana?" Ritsu nudged me, "You ok?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "Just a little flashback."

"What kind of flashback?" he worried, "Something bad?"

"No," I snapped out of it, throwing my leg over Ritsu's bike. I had no intentions of riding Ritsu's bike tonight, but there was something weirdly thrilling about the thought of riding his motorcycle in a dress. I'm just glad it had some wiggle room, "Just the host club being extra. I'm ok."

"Ok," Ritsu calmed down, "Shall we?"

"Let's go," I had gotten a text from both Kyoya and Rhiannon asking when I'd be there a few minutes ago. But I thought, I'll get there when I get there. Little did either one of them know, I'd have Ritsu along with me. All while I'm looking like a total smoke show.

When we got to Ouran, this place was booming. The parking lot was an endless sea of limos and luxury cars. And now, Ritsu's bike. The only one here, too. Oh well. I got off and resituated the skirt of my dress. Nobody needs to see my Hello Kitty underpants tonight. Unless Kyoya's feeling particularly...romantic tonight. Now wasn't the time for that, though. Because now was the time for me to spend one last night with the people I loved and those who have loved me since the day I walked through their doors.

It was weird to think about it like that. When I got to Ouran that January, all I wanted to do was keep my head down. I wasn't there to make friends (Although, Dr. Moreno insisted that I make a few.) or to have a good time. Just to study, come home, sleep, and do it all again in the morning. When I walked into the host club after my first week, I just wanted somewhere quiet. I was anxious and felt my skin peeling off and I just wanted some quiet. Instead, I got rose petals to the face and my favorite bunch of weirdos that I'm honored to call family.

"Lana-chan!" Honey was the first to find me in the giant mob of people, "You're here!"

I guess there really was no party like a host club graduation party, "Hi, Honey."

"And Kasa-chan, too!" his little face lit up.

"I hope that's ok."

"Haninozuka-senpai," Ritsu bowed immediately like Honey was his god, "Please forgive my intrusion, sir. If you want me to leave, I will."

"Why would I want something so silly like that?" Honey giggled, "Of course you can be here. Come on, Lana-chan. Kyo-chan's looking for you."

When wasn't he? I'm sure wherever Kyoya is, Rhiannon's not too far behind. Unless it was like the first host club party I went to. It wouldn't surprise me if she wandered off to make friends. Then again, I don't think high school kids were her type when she's looking for friendship. Other than the host club, but they're an exception to a lot of things.

Ritsu and I followed Honey to a round seating area where all my boys and my best friend and my sister were sitting around, hanging out, swapping stories. This...This is what I'll miss the most. Mostly everyone I love in one location. All of us getting along, being more than just friends. Because in this circle of people, we were family. And once Kyoya and I are in New York with Rhiannon, something tells me that this? This right here...This will never go away.

"Hi there, gorgeous," Kyoya pulled me into his lap while Honey climbed back into my sister's, "I was wondering when you'd show up."

"Here I am," I kissed his cheek, "Miss me?"

"Of course," his eyes darted up, "And you brought Kasanoda with you?"

"Is that a problem?" Ritsu jumped on the defensive.

"Ritsu, no," I shoved my finger in his chest, "What did I say?"

"Oooh," Rhiannon smirked, "Look at Lana with the mom voice."

"It is pretty wicked," the twins agreed.

"I wasn't picking a fight," he promised, "He was."

"No, I wasn't," Kyoya assured, "I was more or less stating a fact. It's highly unlikely you'd come here of your own volition unless Lana told you to. I know her a little better than you do, Kasanoda. She wouldn't ask. She likes you. For some reason or another."

"You, too," I snapped at him, "I thought we were past this. I don't want one of my last nights in Tokyo to be like this. You two are going to pretend you like each other for the next hour for my sake. Do we have an understanding?"

Both Kyoya and Ritsu looked at me like I just slapped them both while everyone else stared on with complete awe. One nod from Kyoya. One nod from Ritsu. And a big ass smile from me. Even though I know they're faking it, it'll be nice to have two of my favorite people being decent to each other. At least for now.

For the rest of the night, it didn't matter how many people were in this room. Because we all had each other. Other girls were trying to come up to the boys, asking for dances, drinks, cake, but every single one of them would always decline or even go as far as to say they'd be there in a minute, but never go. Eventually, the crowd began to dwindle down. Even Ritsu ended up leaving us. I think after butting heads with Kyoya for so long, he needed to go lay down before his nose started bleeding again.

"I really am going to miss this," Tamaki sighed out, "All of us together like this. It was nice while it lasted."

"Yeah," I nodded, "Me, too."

"Haruhi," Kyoya wondered, "Are you going to be able to handle this kind of an empire by yourself? I can't speak for Tamaki, but Lana and I aren't exactly going to be easy to get a hold of."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Haruhi thought, "I've gotten your death glare down pretty well, Kyoya-senpai."

"I don't have a death glare," Kyoya clarified, "Where did you get that idea?"

"I hate to break it to you, baby," I admitted, "But you do have a death glare."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do," I giggled, "I've seen it myself. I've seen it work. You used to give it to Tamaki and the twins all the time when we first started dating. Any time I'd come up in conversation."

"Really?" Kyoya gave me a look, "I guess I never noticed it."

Oh, Kyoya…How could one be so smart, but so clueless at the same time? It's no wonder people thought he was a robot. But I've seen him completely vulnerable. Many times. Kyoya's humanity never was a question for me. My god, I'm getting awfully gushy today. If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was dying, but God wouldn't give me the satisfaction. Tomorrow, though…Tomorrow will be the day I wish for death.

Because not only did I have to send my parents off, but I'd have to deal with dinner at Kyoya's. One of those things I've done countless times. However, this would prove to be different…Vastly different. Kyoya didn't come to pick me up. He didn't have flowers waiting for me. He didn't even cook for me. Instead, pretentious judgment hung thick in the air outside his house. By the looks of it, though, Yuuichi was here. And Fuyumi, too. At least I'd have little bit of a support system for when Kyoya can't do it on his own.

"Miss Lana!" Rose greeted me at the door with her usual sunshiny disposition, but then, in an instant, that was gone, "Excuse me. Dr. Ootori is waiting for you."

"It's alright, Rose," I settled her, "You know we're not formal."

"That's not my doing…" she kept her voice down.

"I understand." Did I remember to take my meds today? I'm pretty sure I did. And it'd only be awkward if I were to ask Yuuichi if he kept any on him. I followed Rose to the dining room and took the empty seat next to Kyoya. His foot wouldn't stay still if one were to tape it down to the floor. Without a second thought, I rested my hand on his thigh, hoping my touch would be enough to settle him down.

"Hello, Miss Smith," Dr. Ootori greeted me coldly.

"Hello, Dr. Ootori," I managed to keep a false sense of confidence. Kyoya taught me that little power move. It may not have impressed his father, but Yuuichi seemed pretty taken aback, "But please. I insist. Call me Lana. I'm not too big on formality."

"Clearly," he brushed me off. What the hell did I have to do to please this guy? Should I start doing cartwheels? Stand on my head? I'd end up hurting myself, but whatever works, "Now, do you know why I invited you here?"

"I'm assuming it's because you wanted to get to know me better," I figured, my grip on Kyoya's hand tightening.

"Smart girl," Dr. Ootori approved, "Tell me. Who are you?"

The last time someone asked me that question was in my head. It brought back memories of me waking up in the hospital. And that was something that didn't need to pop up in my thoughts. Uh-oh…I thought I had a lid on it. I started shaking a little. No, Lana. Not now. Not in front of him. And you know Kyoya's falling apart right now. Keep yourself together. For him at least. You can do that much.

"Lana?" Yuuichi worried, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," I snapped out of it, more or less suppressing it for now, "I'm good. The question's a little vague, though, don't you think?"

"Fair enough," Dr. Ootori rephrased, "What do you come from? Or where, for that matter?"

"I was going to a boarding school in London," I told, "Then, I had an opportunity to come to school here. I couldn't pass it up."

"Which is where you met Kyoya, I'm sure," he figured, "What about your family? What kind of business are they in?"

"My mother doesn't work," I kept my twitching under control, "But my father is an architect."

"You…" Dr. Ootori glanced me over, "You don't come from any pedigree?"

"Father, please," Yuuichi stepped in, "Leave her alone. I know what you're doing. You're seeing if she's a liability."

"Of course I am," Dr. Ootori confirmed, "If she's seeing Kyoya, I don't want him falling into something so reckless."

"You didn't let me finish," Yuuichi went on, "She's not a liability. She's a person. So, she's in love with Kyoya. And I know for a fact that Kyoya's in love with her just as much."

"Has he told you this?"

"No. Fuyumi did." Kyoya shot a glare at his older sister. She fired back with a quick wink.

"Kyoya," Dr. Ootori barked, "Is it true? Do you love this girl? This…Commoner?"

"Yes, sir," Kyoya replied shakily.

"And I can see why," Fuyumi piped up, "Ever since Kyoya and Lana have gotten together, Kyoya's gotten a whole lot better. He's a lot more open than what he was. He seems happier. And personally, I think it's all her fault. Not to mention, she's adorable, she's smart. You got accepted to an ivy league college, didn't you, Lana?"

"That's right," I nodded, "They called me an inspiration."

"And what about her medical records?" Dr. Ootori wondered, "Is she…?"

"Fully capable of taking care of Kyoya with the greatest discretion," Yuuichi cut him off, "Like I said, she's no liability."

Times like these made me so thankful I had Yuuichi in my life. And Fuyumi now, too. And they were both on my side. Even though Kyoya was currently drooling on himself on the inside, I was proud of him, too. He's kept it together surprisingly well. On the surface anyway. Fake it until you make it, baby. I know you can do that. I've seen it with my own two eyes. Just like your death glare.

"Father…" Kyoya spoke softly, "I decided where I'm going to school, too."

He was feeling awfully bold, wasn't he? As soon as those words came out of his mouth, my heart stopped. Dr. Ootori perked up a little more, "Have you? And where is that, Kyoya?"

"NYU," he started getting his confidence back.

"America?" he gave him a look, "There are plenty of schools around here you could go to. All I have to do is make a phone call and you're there."

"I don't want to go to any of the other schools here," Kyoya stood his ground, "I want to see more of the world."

"How much of the world is left for you to see?" Dr. Ootori scoffed, "You've been to New York already, Kyoya."

"I've never lived there," he pointed out, "After visiting last summer, I thought it'd be a nice change of pace."

"Do they have a strong medical program or something?" he wondered.

"No," Kyoya shook his head, "But they do have a very good fine arts program. And that's what drew me to it in the first place."

"Excuse me?" Uh-oh…Dr. Ootori had that same look in his eye that my father had when Rhiannon told him she was pregnant. A dangerous mixture of anger and disappointment.

"Kyoya," I mumbled, gave him a nudge, "Abort…"

"I leave for New York tomorrow," Kyoya shrugged, "I'm already enrolled for the fall. Classes are picked out, all four years have been paid for in advance. By the way, Lana, I did run them by Rhiannon first. All of my teachers are fine."

"Kyoya," Dr. Ootori growled, "You can't do this. Where is a fine arts degree going to get you? You might as well have told me you were going into chiropractics."

"Hopefully, with enough work," Kyoya crossed his fingers, "It'll get me into galleries around the world. I know I have the raw talent to do it."

"Your doodles are a hobby, not a career!"

"Why not make a career out of it?" I think it was safe to say that Kyoya has officially grown a pair. Without thinking about it, he grabbed my arm and pulled up my sleeve, making me wince something fierce. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Yuuichi jumping a little, too, "Do you see this?"

"It's bad enough she's a commoner," Dr. Ootori scoffed, "But she's covered in tattoos, too?"

"Just the one," Kyoya clarified, "And I'm the one who drew it on her in the first place. Tell me I won't get into galleries and I'll call you a…"

"Kyoya…" I spoke meekly, about to come unglued. All it took was one word to bring him back down to earth. I was ready to throw up and my breathing grew more and more sporadic. Kyoya knew all too well why I got that tattoo. And why I got it where it was.

"I'm going to take Lana home," he excused us both, "I'll be back in the morning."

"Why won't you be back later?" Dr. Ootori asked.

"Because she's going to need me for a little while," Kyoya explained, "It could be an hour. It could be all night. Given what just happened, I'm guessing it'll be all night."

"Kyoya," he snapped, "You'll take her home and you'll come back."

"You know," Kyoya helped me up from my chair, "A very intelligent young lady once told me that, at the end of the day, it's my life. Mine and mine alone to screw up how I see fit. And right now, I see nothing more fitting than taking my girlfriend home, laying her in her bed, tucking her in, and kissing her goodnight."

Before his father could say anything else, Kyoya had gotten me out of there and into the passenger seat of his convertible. The drive back to my apartment was quiet, but peaceful. Only the music of Andrew McMahon to break the silence. Not that I minded. Nothing needed to be said. And those were the best kind of night drives…They reminded me of the ones Rhiannon used to take me on when she still lived at home. And in my cloud of nostalgia, I woke up standing at my front door again and Kyoya fiddling with the lock.

When we got inside, he went into full on caretaker mode. Either as a distraction from his own problems brewing back home or an apology to me for causing the ones brewing in my head. Kyoya put my kettle on the stove and got my tea going. He knew what my usual blend after this kind of thing was. A big ass cup of chamomile usually did the trick.

"I'm so sorry, Lana," he brought me my cup and pulled me into his lap, "I got a little carried away back there, didn't I?"

"It's ok," I got him to relax, too. I can't really come down if he's not already there, "I'm fine. It was more of a phantom thing anyway. Besides, it all happened so quickly that there's no way anyone would've seen anything."

"But still," Kyoya's embrace tightened, "I didn't mean to put you in that position."

"Forget about me for a second," I put my hand up to his cheek, "I'm so proud of you, Kyoya. You actually stood up to your dad. And you didn't budge. That took a lot to do and you did it."

"Thank you," he collapsed, "It was exhausting, but I got there."

"Also," I gave him a quick kiss, "You used my words against him."

"The best weapon I had," Kyoya snuggled me, "Now, how about you finish your tea and we go to bed, ok? We have a big day tomorrow."

"We do," I groaned, "Why do we have to leave tomorrow?"

"Because," he reminded me, "The less time we can spend in Tokyo right now, the better."

"Capital idea," I agreed, "I never thought I'd say that, but I can't wait to be back in the States again. Just you and me, right?"

"Exactly," Kyoya gave me a deep, tender kiss, "I love you, Lana. More than anything else in this world."

"I love you, too," I laid my head on his shoulder, perfectly content with the world. Soon enough, we'd be able to leave this little maze of boxes and make our two-day journey to New York. All I had to do was shut my eyes and sleep pulled me under. The next morning, I woke up by myself, but I had a note from Kyoya on one of my boxes.

 _Good morning, gorgeous._

 _Went back home to grab some things._

 _The movers will take care of your boxes and should be there around noon._

 _I'll meet you at the terminal._

 _I love you._

Alright. He'll meet me at the terminal. My stuff was taken care of. Our flight was scheduled to leave in a few hours. Well, Japan, it's been great. We've been through a hell of an ordeal together. Friendships, enemies. Good days, bad days. Best of all, you gave me a home. Not just four walls and a roof over my head. A real home. People that wouldn't hesitate to take a bullet for me. Thank you for being the strongest medicine I've ever had. You made me a stronger person. And now, I'm about to take a giant plunge, move in with my boyfriend in an entirely different country, and start completely anew. I had you to thank for that.

Knock, knock.

"It's open," I called out.

"You really shouldn't leave your door unlocked," a familiar voice chirped, "That's a good way for all the weirdos to break in."

"All I know are weirdos," my heart melted as I threw myself into my intruder's chest, "Hi, Ranka."

"You didn't think you were going to skip town without saying goodbye, did you?" he hugged me tight, "Once was plenty. I don't think my heart could take it again."

"I'm going to miss you so much," I swallowed the lump swelling in my throat.

"I'm a phone call away, Lana," Ranka assured, "Just remember the time zones and the fact that I need sleep once in a while and you'll be fine."

"Or you and Haruhi can just move to New York," I suggested, "And so can Honey and Mori and Hikaru and Kaoru and Tamaki and Ritsu and Misuzu, too."

"Misuzu's not leaving the bed and breakfast," he clarified, "And I don't have the money for Haruhi and me to uproot like that. I can't speak for the others, though."

"It was worth a shot," I let out a heavy, depressed sigh.

"Hey," Ranka lifted my chin up, "Things are going to be great for you in New York, Lana. I know it. You're going to go there and take the city by storm. I know you have that in you. And you won't be entirely alone. You'll have Rhiannon there and Kyoya there and that Elliot guy there…"

"Wait," I gave him a look, "Is Elliot moving to the US?"

"Rhiannon didn't tell you?" Ranka wondered, "I thought she would've said something. When we were hanging out the other day, Elliot called her and said that he sold his pub in London and he wants her to use that for seed money."

"Her shop…" I awed, "Elliot, you sap…"

"He does love her," he smiled, "There's no doubt about that. I couldn't have picked anyone better for her. As far as I know anyway. Come on. I'll take you to the airport."

"Thanks," I grabbed my carry-on and left my apartment keys on the kitchen counter. Goodbye, Lana's apartment. I love you…As soon as I got to the airport, Kyoya was waiting for me by the gate. Along with the rest of the family. With the exception of Rhiannon. She caught an earlier flight. But everyone else was there. We made it through our tearful goodbyes and got on our plane.

A week later, Kyoya and I had finally gotten settled in our new deluxe apartment in Williamsburg. Just down the street from Rhiannon and Elliot's place. We had spent the whole day unpacking and all I wanted to do was take a long, well-deserved nap. However, Kyoya had a look on his face all day. That same look he gets when he's up to something.

"Hey, Lana," he called out from the kitchen, "Do you have anything going on tonight?"

"You know damn well I don't," I giggled, "Why?"

"You know how," Kyoya jumped on the couch next to me, "we agreed to not get each other any gifts for graduation?"

"Yeah…" my skepticism kicked into overdrive, "What about it?"

"I might have broken that rule a little bit and got something for the both of us," he confessed, taking a couple pieces of heavier paper out of his pocket, "To my dear, beloved Lana…Would you like to take a trip to Broadway this evening?"

"Sure," I nodded, taking one of the tickets to read it a little closer. And my stomach dropped. These must be a misprint, "No…"

"Yes…" Kyoya smirked, "What does that say, Lana?"

"You didn't…"

"What's it say?"

"WE'RE GOING TO SEE AMERICAN IDIOT TONIGHT?!" I squealed, "Kyoya! How long have you been sitting on these tickets?!"

"Since our last trip to Karuizawa," he came clean, "You said you never saw it and you could never get the tickets. So, what do I do?"

"You got the tickets," I was about to start crying, "Kyoya…I love you."

"I love you, too," Kyoya gave me a quick kiss, "Go put on your black bondage dress. The show starts in an hour and it's going to take most of that to get there."

"I'll be ready in ten minutes," I promised, sprinting from the couch to our bedroom. Bondage dress, bondage dress…Was that out of the box yet? I think I remember putting it in the closet. Aha! There! I stripped down, took a quick shower, and got redressed in a matter of a few minutes. I resituated my face to where no one could tell I had spent the entire day unpacking my little apartment that three of them could fit in Kyoya's bedroom alone. And now, we were off.

Oh, the Majestic. It truly lived up to its name. The sparkling lights were absolutely intoxicating and I could stare at them all day. But I had a date with a musical I've been wanting to see since its announcement. Catchy tunes, incredible choreography, and one of the few things in this world that could keep my head level. What more could a girl want?

Halfway through, shortly after intermission, "Last Night on Earth" started to play. I always thought this was the song that suited Kyoya and me the best. It put me back in a weird place, though. When I was still living in London and he was still living in Tokyo. We were separated, but we made sure we were always together in one way or another. And that's what I thought of every time this song played. Toward the end of the song, I got Kyoya's elbow to my ribs.

"What?" I whispered over to him.

He gestured down to a little box in his hand. The contents caught enough of the lights to show me exactly what he had in that box. A little glimpse of sparkle. Just as the song was finishing, I could read the note inside it. And never have four little words hit me as hard as what those did.

 _Will you marry me?_

I looked over to Kyoya for some sort of confirmation. Was this real? Did he really mean it? Before I started crying, he gave me one little nod. It made me wonder if I knocked something loose in him. I did accidentally hit him with a heavy box earlier today. Maybe that caused brain damage. Or maybe…And this is a big maybe! Maybe he really did love me enough to want to spend the rest of our lives together…I knew I didn't want to live without him. Did he really feel the same? Slowly, I slid the ring on my finger, admiring the shine of the sapphire, and buried my face in his shoulder.

"I'll take that as a yes," Kyoya wrapped his arms around me.

As hoarse as my voice was…As much as I could hardly talk…I managed to get my answer out, "Yes…"

"Good," he kissed the top of my head, "Are you alright?"

"More than alright…" Did I just get engaged? Because I think I just got engaged.

After the show, Kyoya figured getting some food in my system would make me feel better. Lucky for us, there was a diner just down the street from the theatre. It felt awfully cozy in here. Like a hug. But I couldn't keep my eyes off the beautiful blue stone on my left hand. Kyoya Ootori, you picked a hell of a way to propose. My favorite musical. My favorite person. Hell, even in my favorite dress. And now, I could stuff my face as much as I wanted just to keep the tears away. I didn't care if they were happy or sad. I didn't need people to see me crying.

"She said yes," Kyoya announced, bringing me to a big, round table while I was still thoroughly distracted.

"Congratulations, Lana!" my sister was the first to throw her arms around me, "My little sister getting married before I do. Who would've thought?"

"My little girl has grown up so fast!" another practically strangled me. One that I knew all too well, "I'm glad you talked to me first, Kyoya. That was a nice touch. Then again, you are supposed to talk to her daddy first before you propose."

"Wait," I came to, "Tamaki?"

"Who else would it be?" Tamaki's face lit up. I did a quick glance over his shoulder and saw…everyone. Haruhi, Hikaru, Kaoru…Honey, Mori…Rhiannon and Elliot…

"You know what this means," Hikaru asked.

"Don't you, Lana?" Kaoru finished.

"What?" I choked out.

"We're planning your wedding!" the twins chimed in unison.

"Like hell, you are!" Rhiannon stepped in.

"Rhiannon," Elliot stopped her, "No…Play nice."

"Is now really the time to be arguing over this?" Haruhi settled them all down, "I'm sure that's up to Lana and Kyoya-senpai about who's planning their wedding. Considering it is theirs to plan. And they just got engaged."

"As long as there's cake," Honey beamed, "I'm sure it'll be great!"

Everything hit me all at once. This diner…This city…And everyone I knew and loved right in front of me. And right then and there, something dawned on me. Two somethings, in fact. One: I knew my new fiancé had everything to do with this and I never ever, ever, ever wanted him out of my life. And two, possibly the most important thing I could ever know: No matter where I went. No matter the distance, the time zone, the cost, or the inconvenience…There was, nor will there ever be any possible way of escaping the Ouran Host Club…

 **A/N: I know. This was a long ass chapter. And I damn near didn't get it up on time, but I'm still bound and determined. But there we have it, kids. The last Ouran chapter. I'm not a hundred percent sure if there's going to be a sequel. I mean, if you want me to do one going into Lana's college years, there's definitely a million and one different places I could take that. For now, I'm going to take a little bit of a break from it. Now, the mushiness…**

 **You guys are a remarkable group of individuals that I love very, very much. And if you picked up on the open love letter to you throughout this chapter, you get a high five and a hug, redeemable upon meeting me if our paths are ever to cross. You're also a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. And if you still need me for anything, you know where my inbox is. Consider this your open invitation to come say hi. Besides…I'll never be able to begin to repay you all for what you've done for me. This is a safe place for me to vent any of my woes. And for you all to do the same. Before I get emotional…I love you all…I'll see you later. xx**


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